The Experience of Transition in Pregnancy and Childbirth among the Married Immigrant Women in Korea

Abstract

Purpose: This study was to provide understanding of the meaning of the transition experiences in pregnancy and childbirth among the married immigrant women. Methods: Data was collected through a face-to-face interview from 11 married immigrant women. Their conjugal lives were followed using the hermeneutics phenomenological method developed by van Manen: focusing on the meaning of lived experience. Results: The essential themes that were associated with the transition experiences of the participants' lives during pregnancy and childbirth were as follows: "entering a strange world filled with chaos and tension where they feel like outsiders", "being pregnant and giving birth in increasingly difficult times", "giving birth to a child, which strengthens them to persevere through painful life experiences", "receiving greater support from their families". Conclusion: It contributes a deeper understanding of the essence of the transition experiences of married immigrant women who undergo pregnancy and childbirth after immigration. On the basis of this understanding, this study would be likely to highlight the importance of establishing an appropriate health and medicare systems and the expert network of nursing care for immigrant wom.