[Womens' body image during pregnancy]

ABSTRACT

Pregnancy is a period of time in that significant changes occur in the body image of most of the women. These changes can have a lot of effects on mother's and child's health. Knowing about the experiences of women in this period yields a better understanding of their health conditions. So, it is essential to conduct a qualitative research to analyse their feelings and experiences about their bodies during pregnancy. The aim of this research is describing pregnant women's experiences about their body image. This is a qualitative phenomenological survey. The population studied was composed of pregnant women referring to Enghelab 19, Amirhamzeh and Navabsafavi clinics in Isahan. The sampling was purposeful with 12 subjects. The data were collected during 4 months by in-depth interview methods. The data were analysed by Collaizzi seven stage method. The findings of research were classified in 125 codes and two categories as 1]. Changes without satisfaction, 2]. Changes with satisfaction. According to the research findings, pregnant women experience various changes in the appearance of their bodies. Attention of health care providers to these changes during pregnancy and providing pregnant women and her relatives with necessary trainingin this period can have significant effects on their mental health