Women’s experiences with the self-management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a descriptive phenomenological study

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) is a significant contributing factor to maternal morbidity and mortality. Self-management plays a crucial role in women with HDP to delay disease progression and improve delivery outcomes. However, the lived experiences of self-management among women with HDP during pregnancy remain poorly understood. Therefore, the perspectives and experiences of managing HDP in women require special attention and exploration. The qualitative study with a descriptive phenomenological design was conducted. Purposive sampling was used, and face-to-face interviews were conducted with 19 women who had experienced HDP self-management. Data were analyzed following the 7 steps of Colaizzi. MAXQDA software (version 2020) was used for data management. Four themes were identified: (1) the beginning of transformation, (2) the thorny path, (3) striving to overcome, and (4) external forces. The participants were found to be at different stages of HDP management and undergoing a process of adaptation. This study revealed that women go through a process of adjustment following a diagnosis of HDP as they learn to self-manage. This process is influenced not only by their personal efforts but also by the external environment and support systems.