SynthesisBMC pregnancy and childbirth2023
Women's experiences of social support during pregnancy: a qualitative systematic review.
Synthesis in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06520930 (The Effect of the Structured Supportive Approach Based on Kolcaba Comfort Theory Applied to Primiparous Pregnant Women on the Comfort Level in the Last Trimester), which is not on this map. Cited by 84 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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The Effect of the Structured Supportive Approach Based on Kolcaba Comfort Theory Applied to Primiparous Pregnant Women on the Comfort Level in the Last Trimester
Who cites it
84 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effects of mobile health technology on physical activity in pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Pooled it
- Evaluating acceptability and experiences of pregnant women at high risk of developing gestational diabetes who take part in antenatal intervention trials: a qualitative systematic review.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Pooled it
- Are educational tools in oral health programs for pregnant women effective in improving the oral status of mothers and babies? A systematic review.Evidence-based dentistry · 2024Pooled it
- Effectiveness of nutrition literacy intervention on pregnancy weight and eating behavior: a randomized controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- Trial
- Perceived social support and antenatal blood pressure in pregnant women at risk for hypertensive disorders.Journal of behavioral medicine · 2026Article
- Correlation between severe maternal morbidity and rates of living alone among mothers in the USA.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2026Article
- Review
- Article
- Hybrid concept analysis of fear of childbirth based on pregnant women's experiences: a qualitative protocol study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Prenatal Maternal Stress, Socioeconomic and Cultural Determinants, and Early Childhood Physical and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes: Evidence from a Prospective Cohort Study in Georgia.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Prenatal Maternal Stress, Socioeconomic and Cultural Determinants, and Early Childhood Physical and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes: Evidence From a Prospective Cohort Study in Georgia.Research square · 2026Article
- Drivers of trimester disparities in asymptomatic malaria during pregnancy in Kintampo South District: evidence from an Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition Analysis.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Network analysis of symptoms related to quality of life and subjective well-being during pregnancy.Reproductive health · 2026Article
- The Effects of Social Support on Newborn Hygienic Care and Breastfeeding Intentions in Primigravid Pregnancies: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study.Scandinavian journal of caring sciences · 2026Article
- Experiences, support networks, and resilience among women after stillbirth in Ghana: a qualitative study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Kuwaiti women's perception of social support in pregnancy: a qualitative study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Co-Creating Preconception Health Content for a Digital Resource for Women From Diverse Ethnic Backgrounds.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026Article
- Impact of Nutritional Literacy and Food Label Reading Habits on Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Among Pregnant Women in Türkiye: A Cross-Sectional Study.Food science & nutrition · 2026Article
- Barriers to accessing treatment in perinatal depression: a qualitative and quantitative study.BMC psychiatry · 2026Article
24 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSocial support during pregnancy can alleviate emotional and physical pressures, improving the well-being of mother and child. Understanding women's lived experiences and perceptions of social support during pregnancy is imperative to better support women. This systematic review explores and synthesises the qualitative research on women's experiences of social support during pregnancy.
methodsDatabases PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo and Scopus were searched with no year limit. Eligible studies included pregnant women or women who were up to one year postpartum and were assessed on their experiences of social support during pregnancy. The data were synthesised using the thematic synthesis approach.
resultsFourteen studies were included with data from 571 participating women across ten countries; two studies used focus groups, and 12 used interviews to collect their data. Four main themes were developed ('a variety of emotional support', 'tangible and intangible instrumental support', 'traditional rituals and spiritual support', and 'the all-encompassing natal home'), and six sub-themes ('female network connections', 'care and affection from the husband', 'dissatisfaction with relationships', 'financial support from the husband and family', 'practical support from family and friends', 'health information support').
conclusionsThis systematic review sheds light on women's experiences of social support during pregnancy. The results indicate a broad variety of emotional support experienced and valued by pregnant women from different sources. Additionally, women expressed satisfaction and dissatisfaction with tangible and intangible support forms. It was also highlighted that spirituality played an essential role in reducing stress and offering coping mechanisms for some, whereas spirituality increased stress levels for others.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.