JNCR
Journal of Nursing Care Research

The mission of the journal is to contribute to the development of nursing science and care practices in Turkey and internationally. It is also to promote and disseminate new knowledge and research data for evidence-based care practices at all levels of nursing services. The Journal of Nursing Care Research deals with Fundamentals of Nursing, Internal Medicine Nursing, Surgical Nursing, Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing, Child Health and Diseases Nursing, Mental Health and Diseases Nursing, Public Health Nursing and Management in Nursing and accepts articles on these topics.

eISSN: 3023-7270
Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International License.

Online Manuscript System

Index
Original Article
Traumatic birth perceptions of adolescent and adult pregnant women: a cross-sectional study
Abstract
Aims: This study aimed to determine and compare the traumatic birth perceptions of adolescent and adult nulliparous pregnant women.
Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2021 and July 2022, in the obstetrics clinic of a hospital. The study sample consisted of 30 adolescent and 50 adult nulliparous pregnant women between 37–42 weeks of gestation who met the inclusion criteria and attended prenatal follow-ups. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the "Personal Information Form," the "Pregnant Women's Self-Perception Scale," and the "Traumatic Birth Perception Scale." The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05.
Results: The mean age of adolescent pregnant women was 17.53±0.68, while that of adult pregnant women was 23.9±3.64. The total mean score of the Traumatic Birth Perception Scale was 77.26±19.84 in adolescents and 64.96±28.99 in adults. Adolescent women had significantly higher traumatic birth perception scores compared to adults (p<0.05). Furthermore, a moderate, positive, and statistically significant correlation (r=0.41) was found between adolescents’ self-perception levels and their traumatic birth perceptions (p<0.05); however, no such significant relationship was observed in adult pregnant women (p>0.05).
Conclusion: The findings indicate that adolescent pregnant women perceive childbirth as more traumatic than their adult counterparts, and this perception is associated with their level of self-perception. It is recommended that age-specific psychosocial support and childbirth preparation programs be developed for adolescent pregnant women.

Keywords : Adolescent pregnancy, adult pregnancy, ttraumatic birth, self-perception, cross-sectional study

Download Article


Abdolalipour, S., Mousavi, S., Hadian, T., Meedya, S., Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi, S., Mohammadi, E., & Mirghafourvand, M. (2023). Adolescent pregnant women’s perception of health practices: a qualitative study.Nursing Open, 10(9), 6186-6196. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1852
Ahmad, M., Sechi, C., & Vismara, L. (2024). Advanced maternal age: a scoping review about the psychological impact on mothers, infants, and their relationship. Behavioral Sciences, 14(3), 147. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14030147
Al-Mutawtah, M., Campbell, E., Kubis, H. P., & Erjavec, M. (2023). Women’s experiences of social support during pregnancy: a qualitative systematic review. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 23(1), 782. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-023-06089-0
Aksoy Derya, Y., Erdemoğlu, Ç., Benli, T. E., & Karakayalı Ay, Ç. (2024). Lohusalarda travmatik doğum algısının postpartum fiziksel semptom şiddetine etkisi. Journal of Midwifery and Health Sciences, 7(1), 159-166. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10929541
Ayanaw Habitu, Y., Yalew, A., & Azale Bisetegn, T. (2018). Prevalence and factors associated with teenage pregnancy, Northeast Ethiopia, 2017: a cross-sectional study. Journal of Pregnancy, 2018, 1714527. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1714527
Barrett, V., Evans, K., & Spiby, H. (2025). Antenatal and intrapartum interventions to prevent psychological birth trauma: a mixed methods systematic review. Midwifery, 148, 104473. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2025.104473
Cevik, A., Aksut Akcay, E., Gozuyesil, E., Avcibay Vurgec, B., & Gokyildiz Surucu, S. (2023). Impact of trauma, support, and control perceptions during childbirth on post-traumatic stress disorder among Syrian immigrant adolescent pregnant women. Midwifery, 127, 103870. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2023.103870
Çırak, R., & Özdemir, F. (2015). Adölesan gebelerde beden imajı algısının belirlenmesi. Journal of Anatolia Nursing and Health Sciences, 18(3), 214-221. https://doi.org/10.17049/ahsbd.47958
Hacettepe Üniversitesi Nüfus Etütleri Enstitüsü. (2019). Türkiye nüfus ve sağlık araştırması 2018. http://www.sck.gov.tr/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/TNSA2018_ana_Rapor.pdf
Isobel, S. (2023). Trauma and the perinatal period: a review of the theory and practice of trauma-sensitive interactions for nurses and midwives. Nursing Open, 10(12), 7585-7595. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.2017
Kassa, G. M., Arowojolu, A. O., Odukogbe, A. A., & Yalew, A. W. (2018). Prevalence and determinants of adolescent pregnancy in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Reproductive Health, 15(1), 195. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-018-0640-2
Mucuk, Ö., & Özkan, H. (2022). Perception of traumatic childbirth of women and factors affecting. Journal of Basic and Clinical Health Sciences,6(2), 608-616. https://doi.org/10.30621/jbachs.1001319
Kohan, S., Hajihashemi, M., Valiani, M., Beigi, M., & Mohebbi-Dehnavi, Z. (2023). Maternal-infant outcomes of birth planning: a review study. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 12, 315. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_1450_22
Kumcağız, H., Ersanlı, E., & Murat, N. (2017). Gebelerin kendilerini algılama ölçeği’nin geliştirilmesi ve psikometrik özellikleri. Psikiyatri Hemşireliği Dergisi, 8(1), 23-31. https://doi.org/10.14744/phd.2017.12599
Neal, S., Matthews, Z., Frost, M., Fogstad, H., Camacho, A. V., & Laski, L. (2012). Childbearing in adolescents aged 12-15 years in low resource countries: a neglected issue. New estimates from demographic and household surveys in 42 countries. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 91(9), 1114-1118. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0412.2012.01467.x
Panova, O. V., Kulikov, A. M., Berchtold, A., & Suris, J. C. (2016). Factors associated with unwanted pregnancy among adolescents in Russia. Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology,29(5), 501-505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2016.04.004
Rodríguez-Almagro, J., Hernández-Martínez, A., Rodríguez-Almagro, D., Quirós-García, J. M., Martínez-Galiano, J. M., & Gómez-Salgado, J. (2019). Women’s perceptions of living a traumatic childbirth experience and factors related to a birth experience. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(9), 1654. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16091654
Londero, A. P., Rossetti, E., Pittini, C., Cagnacci, A., & Driul, L. (2019). Maternal age and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes: A retrospective cohort study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 19, 261. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-019-2400-x
Siegel, R. S., & Brandon, A. R. (2014). Adolescents, pregnancy, and mental health. Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, 27(3), 138-150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2013.09.008
Simpson, M., & Catling, C. (2016). Understanding psychological traumatic birth experiences: a literature review. Women and Birth, 29(3), 203-207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2015.10.009
SmithBattle, L. (2013). Reducing the stigmatization of teen mothers. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 38(4), 235-241. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMC.0b013e3182836bd4
United Nations Population Fund. (2020). Adolescent pregnancy. https://www.unfpa.org/adolescent-pregnancy
United Nations Population Fund. (2022). Motherhood in childhood: Facing the challenge of adolescent pregnancy. https://www.unfpa.org
Ünal, E., Karaman, Ş. C., Yildirim, S., & Hacimuhittinoğullari, H. A. (2025). The relationship between pregnant women’s perception of traumatic birth and their mode of delivery preference. Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira, 71(6), e20241835. https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.20241835
Ünal, Ö. (2023). Comparison of pregnancy outcomes among adolescent, young adult, and adult pregnant women over ten years in our tertiary care clinic. Journal of Contemporary Medicine, 13(5), 932-938. https://doi.org/10.16899/jcm.1350938
World Health Organization. (2016). WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549912
World Health Organization. (2022). Adolescent pregnancy. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-pregnancy
Yalnız, H., Canan, F., Genç, R. E., Kuloğlu, M. A., & Geçici, Ö. (2016). Travmatik Doğum Algısı Ölçeğinin geliştirilmesi. Türk Tıp Dergisi, 8(3), 115-122. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/tmj/issue/83999/1462575
Yıldırım, G., & Bilgin, Z. (2021). Risk status and traumatic birth perception in pregnancy. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 57(4), 1897-1904. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.12764
Yilmaz, N., & Kiliç, M. (2024). The relationship of the traumatic birth perception of women with birth memories and recall. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice, 27(4), 424-429. <a href="https://doi.org/10.4103/njcp.njcp_163_23">https://doi.org/10.4103/njcp.njcp_163_23</a>
Article available in :
Volume 3, Issue 3, 2026
Page : 71-77
https://doi.org/10.51271/JNCR-0052
Article Information
Received : 17 Kas 2025
Accepted : 27 Nis 2026
Published : 07 Tem 2026
Corresponding Author :

Zümrüt Bilgin: Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, Marmara University, İstanbul, Turkiye

[email protected]
Citation : Ekin H, & Bilgin Z. (2026). Traumatic birth perceptions of adolescent and adult pregnant women: a cross-sectional study. J Nurs Care Res, 3(3), 75-81. doi:10.51271/JNCR-0052

Read: 34
Download : 32
Cited: 0
_Footer