Researchers
Dr. H. Dan O’Hair (College of Communication and Information, University of Kentucky)
Sarah Vos, MA (Doctoral Student, Department of Communication, University of Kentucky)
Kathryn Anthony, MA (Doctoral Student, Department of Communication, University of Kentucky)
Purpose
In the United States, an increasing number of babies are born before 39 weeks of gestation but after 36 weeks. Many of these births are thought to be the result of elective inductions or cesarean sections. However, babies born before 39 weeks are at higher risk for serious health problems immediately after birth and may suffer from brain-development problems as they get older. The medical costs from the neonatal intensive care unit admissions that result from these births are estimated to exceed $1 billion annually in the United States.
Given the high medical and emotional costs of these early births, this project investigates how to persuade women to avoid elective inductions or c-sections before 40 weeks. Formative research with 33 pregnant and post-partum women has been conducted. This study explored the decisions women encounter in the final weeks of pregnancy, how women understand the uncertainty of their due dates, how women approach the decision to induce or have an elective c-sections before 40 weeks of pregnancy, and how women can be persuaded to remain pregnant longer. The project is currently moving into its next phase, which may include quantitative survey data, qualitative interviews with obstetricians, and campaign development.
Theoretical Implications
The first stage of the project examines decision-making and uncertainty in a medial context, and the data suggests that how the women construct the uncertainty of their due dates influences their attitudes and intentions toward an early birth. The analysis of qualitative interviews with 33 women has implications for problematic integration theory, in particular how epistemological and ontological uncertainty are integrated in decision-making.
Practical Implications
The formative research suggests avenues through which women may be persuaded to decline elective c-sections and inductions before 40 weeks. In addition, it suggests that women find information about brain development in the final weeks of pregnancy highly persuasive.
Publications or Presentations
Vos, S.C., Anthony, K., & O'Hair, H.D. (November, 2012, forthcoming). "Getting to 40 Weeks: Constructing the Uncertainty of Due Dates." Health Communication Division. National Communication Association Annual Meeting, Orlando, Fla.
Vos, S.C., Anthony, K., & O'Hair, H.D. (November, 2011). "39 weeks: Understanding Women's Birth Choices and Preterm Birth." Roundtables in Research 4. National Communication Association Annual Meeting. New Orleans, La.