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Is pregnancy a disease?
KOUPALOVÁ, Martina
Pregnancy is a natural period in life of a woman. A woman usually becomes pregnant when being healthy and in a good psychical state, and looking forward to a positive (i.e. good) result together with her family. The Czech idiom ``a woman is in a different state{\crqq} is both fitting and incorrect. It is correct, as far as the physical and psychical changes affecting the pregnant woman are concerned; however, the idiom does not describe the degree and the dynamics of the changes. Pregnancy is not a state. It is a special process which, despite being physiological, is sometimes considered to be rather a disease, particularly when the physiological changes to the mother{\crq}s organism that accompany her pregnancy become highlighted. The objective of this thesis was to ascertain what the attitude of women themselves to their physiological pregnancy was. At the beginning, three hypotheses were determined. The first hypothesis is: ``Pregnant women feel manifestations of physiological changes of their organisms.{\crqq} The second hypothesis is: ``Pregnant women are sufficiently aware of the methods how to prevent or mitigate negative manifestations of pregnancy changes (that accompany pregnancy with a physiological course).{\crqq} The third hypothesis is: ``Pregnant women do not understand pregnancy with a physiological course as a disease.{\crqq} The first hypothesis was confirmed by the research {--} women understand physiological changes of the mother{\crq}s organism and their manifestations. The second hypothesis was also confirmed {--} the research revealed that pregnant women have sufficient information how to prevent or mitigate negative manifestations of physiological changes of the mother{\crq}s organism. Also the third hypothesis was confirmed {--} pregnant women really do not understand their pregnancy with a physiological course as a disease. The research was conducted following the quantitative method using questionnaires. I selected this method since it provides a large number of empirical data in a relatively short period of time while allowing the informants to remain anonymous. The questionnaires were distributed in gynaecological surgeries in České Budějovice and at the gynaecological-midwifery outpatient clinic in Tábor in February and March 2007. The total of 108 filled-in questionnaires was processed. The thesis will be utilized within the scope of education at the University of South Bohemia and will be published in the Internet. Pregnant women do not understand physiological pregnancy as a disease, even despite negative manifestations of physiological changes of the mother{\crq}s organism. This is a pleasing result of my thesis. Any pregnancy may become a risky or even a pathological process (for this reason, it is advisable to undertake the basic prenatal care), but if this is not the case, then pregnancy should be one of the most beautiful and happiest periods in the life of a woman and she should enjoy and understand it this way.
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