Using the Protection Motivation Theory as a Framework to Prevent of Covid-19 Infection Among Pregnant Women: Role of Nurse-Midwives

Abstract

The covid-19 incidence is still increasing among global population. A mutation of the virus and its virulence are still unclear. Pregnant women are more susceptible to the covid-19 infection because of their physiological and immunological changes. The most common symptoms are fever, cough, difficult breathing, myalgia, and pneumonia. The infectious women may give birth to the babies with fetal inflammatory response syndrome, miscarriage, preterm labor, fetal growth retardation, low birth weight, congenital anomaly, and still birth. The covid-19 pregnant women may develop long-term symptoms, lasting for weeks or years, regardless of severity of the initial infection.

This article is aimed at describing the nurse-midwives’ role in preventing covid-19 infection among pregnant women by using the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT). A particular framework consists of three components: sources of information, cognitive mediating processes, and coping modes. Sources of information include environmental and intrapersonal factors. Cognitive mediating processes motivate persons to adopt the health-protection behaviors. Coping modes address the engagement of individual in protective actions. Nurse-midwives involve in a crucial role to providing an update and accurate information about the severity of the disease and the impacts on mothers and fetuses and to supporting the women with resources for covid-19 prevention. Nursing and midwifery practice needs evidence-based information regarding covid-19 and pregnancy. The care model guided by the PMT can be provided in a hospital setting and outside environment in a community, to motivate the preventive behaviors of covid-19 to pregnant women.

Keywords:  Covid-19 infection, Disease prevention, Nurse-midwives’ role, Pregnant women, Protection Motivation Theory