ADVOCATING FOR SELF: A GROUNDED THEORY OF WOMEN'S PROCESS OF FERTILITY REGULATION (CONTRACEPTION, BIRTH CONTROL, FAMILY PLANNING).
Contributors: Boston College.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 202
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Women's Studies.
Description: The purpose of this investigation was to determine women's perceptions of the dynamic process of fertility regulation by exploring, from the perspective of women who desire to prevent pregnancy, the factors that have influenced their patterns of contraception. A triangulated research design, using both qualitative and quantitative methods, was used to analyze the experience of fertility regulation for eight hundred and forty women. Data were collected from chart reviews, unstructured and structured interviews, and researcher field notes.

A substantive theory of Advocating for Self was identified as the fertility regulating process of these women. The process included five categories: (a) Personalizing Pregnancy Risk--the woman becomes aware that she can become pregnant and has options, (b) Exploring Options--an evaluation of preferences based on her conception of potential ramifications, followed by a response, (c) Using an Option--the use of an intervention that the woman believes will reduce her chances of becoming pregnant, (d) Contending with ramifications of use--identification the actual consequences of her actions and evaluation of the tradeoffs for her, (e) Contending with use-effectiveness rates--dealing with the monthly concern of unintended pregnancy. The women's processes of balancing the risks in each of these categories against the risks of pregnancy was explored.

A conceptual model of the decision making process of Advocating for Self was developed. The results of this research were compared to previous research concerning contraceptive use, patterns of fertility utilization, and the decision making strategies of males and females.

This research contributes to nursing science in four ways. It fosters understanding of the human health-related experience of women seeking fertility regulation, provides an expanded awareness of the interrelationship between women and their environments with regards to this health issue, provides a conceptual model which can guide the development of interventions concerning the care of the contracepting woman, and identifies a substantive theory of women's fertility decision making process, that, through further study, may be raised to a formal theory on women's decision making.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-05, Section: B, page: 2502.

Thesis (PH.D.)--BOSTON COLLEGE, 1991.

School code: 0016.