CW2 RESEARCH PROPOSAL IN THE FORM OF A MOCK ETHICS APPLICATION
Title: OPTIONS FOR MANAGING PRENATAL STRESS AND COMMUNICATING RISKS FOR TO-BE MOTHERS REGARDING HOSPITAL VS. HOME BIRTH
Introduction
In the field of health and social care, the term Maternal Stress has been connected to poor birth outcomes consisting of preterm birth, infant mortality, as well as low birth weight (Huizink and De Rooij 2018). These stresses have resulted in a high increase in cortical and nor-epinephrine along with inflammation, which might affect the fetal environment with further implications for both maternal and infant health accordingly.
Now, throughout this whole study, based on this research topic, a proposal has mainly been prepared. In this way, all kinds of relevant things have been included with project summary, details or objectives desired and planned outcomes with principle methods accordingly.
Project Summary
This current research project has aimed to find out the key options in terms of managing high levels of prenatal stress along with possible communicating risks of would-be mothers. Additionally, this research proposal has also investigated such maternal experiences with an in-depth comparison between home birth and hospital birth (Sjaarda et. al. 2017). A qualitative approach will be deployed along with exploratory research design for conducting this research project. Therefore, as per primary qualitative measures, some would-be mothers will be interviewed along with successful means of data collection and analysis. Apart from that, thematic data analysis will also be done as per maintaining secondary qualitative stance of methodology in research (Hentges et. al. 2019). Moreover, the gathered responses from would-be mothers shall be kept with their actual consent embodied with a high level of confidentiality.
Project Details / Objectives
Prenatal stress and Communicated risks have been considered as serious problems. As per latest statistical reports or data, is between 8% and 13% of women have been diagnosed with anxiety or depressive disorders during their pregnancy due to these stress levels (Schuetze et. al. 2018). The research goal is to find out what will happen to would-be mothers due to prenatal stress and communicative risks extensively.
Now, here has been presented research questions of current project study as follows:
- What are the experiences of would-be mothers due to prenatal stress and communication risks in maternity for home births and hospital situations?
- What are the actual feelings and emotions that would-be mothers go through the sudden death or any other issues of a pregnant woman?
- What is the core need for various arrangements for would-be mothers for reducing and eliminating prenatal risks and communicative issues extensively?
Planned or Desired Outcomes
Here have been demonstrated key research objectives of current project study as follows:
Objectives
- To explore the experiences due to prenatal stress and communicate risks faced by would-be mothers in hospital and home birth situations.
- To determine the feelings and emotions of would-be mothers due to maternal stress towards any possible chance of death, preterm birth, or any kind of mortality.
- To find out feasible recommendations to minimize and mitigate prenatal stress and communicate risks for would-be mothers during the time of pregnancy extensively.
In final words, it can also be said that by fulfilling these objectives through this whole research project, positive outcomes can be derived.
Research Design / Methodology
This research project has attempted to investigate the subjective experience, feelings, and emotions of would-be pregnant mothers in terms of managing prenatal stress. This specific kind of selection has also relied upon various factors, where every individual might acquire different kinds of responses (Lautarescu et. al. 2020). From this specific perspective, how humans have perceived such things is subjective, where the real vision has mainly followed unique perceptions rather than empirical or objective knowledge and skills. In this sense, with the help of positivism research philosophy, a logical and meaningful argument has been established, which has also helped a lot to answer and address research questions with successful hypothesis development (Hartman and Belsky 2018). Constructive approach has also been applied for applying relevant theories or models to check the validity at the same time.
On the other hand, through successful usage of Qualitative research design, a diverse range of positive research outcomes and benefits have also been expected. This is because; any objectives on specific research areas have not yet been addressed or answered in past research studies. Therefore, the current research project has aimed to ensure better realization of the research topic area or the experience due to prenatal stress and communicating risks by would-be mothers during their pregnancy stages. This qualitative method of research has also been supported to determine feasible recommendations for reducing and eliminating such health risks for maternal women at the same time (Mohajan, 2018). In addition to this, for bringing out more in-detailed research investigations embodied with quantitative aspects, it becomes impossible to assess or develop hypotheses or theories that have already been put out before.
From another point of view, a quantitative method of research has also been used, where research might require more statistical or numeric data. Hence, since the research will investigate in terms of prenatal stress and communicating risks for would-be mothers, a quantitative data method has not been preferred, as it becomes unable to find positive research results successfully. As stated by Nayak and Singh (2021), there will be a mixed method of research, as it might gather and analyze responses or data via interviews among focus groups as per the right sequence and population. However, this research area has also aimed to conduct the whole project as per the right timeline, costs or budget, resources, and scope to ensure deliverables on time. In one word, rather than quantitative technique, a qualitative methodological stance must help to conclude the research directly.
It has also been found that a qualitative research approach helps to deploy exploratory research design. In this way, for existence, to derive anticipated outcomes, exploratory research design has been highly prioritized. Most researchers have also worked on collecting positive insights and extensive knowledge through proper investigation of the primary stage of the core research problem. In most cases, exploratory research design is a non-structural and causal way, a proper research instrument can be delivered (Abutabenjeh and Jaradat 2018). An improved grasp of context has also been availed with the help of exploratory research design. It has also often entailed diverse sources with proper means of research observations directly.
Principle Research Methods
Participants
- 50 would-be mothers, and
- 50 maternal health practitioners
Participants have played major roles in this research project in terms of gathering valuable opinions on research topic areas. This research has taken place in some maternal health facilities across homes and hospitals in selected regions across both state and national levels.
Inclusion Criteria
- Would-be mother acquired with at least 4 months of pregnancy from initial stage
- Those would-be mothers who have experienced maternal stress during pregnancy
- Those would-be mothers, who have already acquired treatment facilities in either home or hospitals before delivery stages
These criteria should be included in the whole research conduction progress.
Exclusion Criteria
- Non-pregnant women
- Those would-be mothers, who are not witnessing any stress level of death or any other casualties during and after the pregnancy stages
- Those would-be mothers who are less than 4 months of pregnancy
- Those would-be mothers, who have acquired improper communication abilities or skills for sharing their experience of stress.
Sample Size
In this research conduction progress, some semi-structured interviews will be arranged among selected respondents including would-be mothers as well as some maternal health practitioners. Moreover, based on these participants’ consent, the interviews will only take place with an open-ended questionnaire. Moreover, this whole interview process will be conducted via online or digital mediums due to COVID-19.
Sampling Technique
For conducting this current research project, researchers have adopted Purposive Sampling Technique in terms of selecting those respondents seamlessly. The core importance of this sampling technique is to squeeze a wide range of information or data from credible sources (Ragab and Arisha 2018). It has also allowed researchers to evaluate the key impact of findings on population.
Recruitment
In this case, for conducting the research project, researchers should have to visit the healthcare facilities in person with the key purpose of talking with would-be mothers and medical practitioners. It also helps to extract reliable and relevant information or data from them along with their individual contact information at the same time. As mentioned by Kumar, (2018), for conducting this research, a group has also been formed with specific time and venue or digital medium platform have also been selected for conducting seamless interviews. Before starting such interviews, respondents can ask in terms of any queries for clearing any further doubts, which also helps to avail their consent.
Study Processes
Selected respondents should be called before starting the interviews. By informing them about the right intention of the research project, any further clarification of doubts has been managed. Open-ended interview questions must be asked to those participants, which have also been recorded by a responsible facilitator with audio-visual recording at the same time.
Topic in Brief
In the field of maternal health, most would-be mothers have been going through a lot of stress including prenatal stress and communicating risks leading towards deaths or any other casualties (Beversdorf et. al. 2018). For these pregnant women, it has also been expected that high levels of stress continuing for a long time might cause a diverse range of physical and mental health problems. Those issues have consisted of high blood pressure, heart disease or CVD, and many more complications altogether. During the time of pregnancy, due to these stresses and risks, there might increase in the level of chances of having a premature baby or a low birth weight baby in most cases (Goldstein et. al. 2019).
Data Collection
At the time of current research project conduction, data must be collected from those selected would-be mothers and maternal health practitioners, who have witnessed the experience of prenatal stress and communicating risks. In this way, it has also been able to deliver a positive insight into the core research problem, which has also helped a lot to develop the research paper. In addition to this, the gathered valuable responses should also be needed to be noted by the responsible facilitator (Clark and Vealé 2018). Besides, all recordings in the form of audio, as well as video tapes, must be made for future references at the same time.
Data Management
In this scenario, no such exact names should be used for the selected participants in the interview group, instead of numbers and alphabets in the actual research document. Those audio-visual recordings should be transferred seamlessly to responsible healthcare facilities or individuals after successful completion of data collection. All kinds of consent agreements as well as the relevant documents should be kept with a high level of confidentiality in the health and social care facilities overseen by the responsible facilitators and supervisors (Islam and Islam 2020). A representative from the research team will manage such extracted data, which must also be destroyed and removed after task.
Data Analysis
In this case, thematic data analysis techniques will be adopted by researchers. This reliable strategy helps to analyze gathered data through transferability, dependability, credibility, and conformability. Proper data validation has also been followed to avoid further errors (Castleberry and Nolen 2018). Diversified data must be collected as per the right sequence and order at the same point.
Risks and Benefits
In respect to data collection and security, they have emphasized and safeguarded the value of maintaining data secrecy in the whole research conduction process. Risks regarding any possible disclosure of information or data might occur, which should be handled after evaluating plausible consequences. An open agreement must also be accomplished in any circumstance.
Participants’ Privacy
In this field, privacy, as well as confidentiality of interviewees or would-be mothers, should be maintained by using numbers and alphabets instead of using names in the research document directly. Furthermore, any participant’s name should not also be disclosed along with any valuable information or data shared by them in any circumstances.
Withdrawal from Study
At the time of conducting this research, active participation is not mandatory, which is also fully voluntary. Any participant might change his/her mind about withdrawing names from the whole research project at any time. In this field, the participants’ identities should be protected in a confidential manner, which has also been destroyed after successful completion of the entire research.
Potential Distress
At the time of taking experiences of prenatal stress and communicating risks from would-be mothers, some chances of anxiety or uncomfortable feeling might occur. Therefore, the interviewers or responsible facilitators should handle such complex situations with empathy. During the interview, all participants must be reminded in terms of withdrawal or consent policy.
Ethical Considerations
Ethical clearance from the university should be derived by researchers. Selected participants’ or would-be mothers’ consent should be highlighted the most via open agreements. The Data Protection Act along with relevant and appropriate GDPR guidelines should be followed by researchers in terms of ensuring data protection and safety in any case.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that for most would-be mothers in the community, several maternal stress like prenatal or communicating risks might occur. Additionally, due to such issues, some casualties or deaths might also happen in form of premature babies, low birth weight, or any other issues. Thus, it has been suggested to overcome these issues as soon as possible in terms of delivering a healthy baby in the future for those mothers after all.
References
Abutabenjeh, S. and Jaradat, R., (2018). Clarification of research design, research methods, and research methodology: A guide for public administration researchers and practitioners. Teaching Public Administration, 36(3), pp.237-258.
Beversdorf, D.Q., Stevens, H.E. and Jones, K.L., (2018). Prenatal stress, maternal immune dysregulation, and their association with autism spectrum disorders. Current psychiatry reports, 20(9), pp.1-12.
Castleberry, A. and Nolen, A., (2018). Thematic analysis of qualitative research data: is it as easy as it sounds?. Currents in pharmacy teaching and learning, 10(6), pp.807-815.
Clark, K.R. and Vealé, B.L., (2018). Strategies to enhance data collection and analysis in qualitative research. Radiologic technology, 89(5), pp.482CT-485CT.
Goldstein, J.M., Hale, T., Foster, S.L., Tobet, S.A. and Handa, R.J., (2019). Sex differences in major depression and comorbidity of cardiometabolic disorders: impact of prenatal stress and immune exposures. Neuropsychopharmacology, 44(1), pp.59-70.
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Lautarescu, A., Craig, M.C. and Glover, V., (2020). Prenatal stress: effects on fetal and child brain development. International review of neurobiology, 150, pp.17-40.
Mohajan, H.K., (2018). Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related subjects. Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People, 7(1), pp.23-48.
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Ragab, M.A. and Arisha, A., (2018). Research methodology in business: A starter’s guide. Management and Organizational Studies, 5(1), pp.1-14.
Schuetze, P., Eiden, R.D., Colder, C.R., Huestis, M.A. and Leonard, K.E., (2018). Prenatal risk and infant regulation: indirect pathways via fetal growth and maternal prenatal stress and anger. Child development, 89(2), pp.e123-e137.
Sjaarda, C.P., Hecht, P., McNaughton, A.J., Zhou, A., Hudson, M.L., Will, M.J., Smith, G., Ayub, M., Liang, P., Chen, N. and Beversdorf, D., (2017). Interplay between maternal Slc6a4 mutation and prenatal stress: a possible mechanism for autistic behavior development. Scientific reports, 7(1), pp.1-12.
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