THE EFFECT OF INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY COUNSELING ON THE LEVEL OF PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT IN MOTHERS WITH PREGNANCY LOSS: A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL

Background & Aims: Pregnancy is sweet experience in a womanchr('39')s life; however, a pregnancy loss can be a fatal story. About a quarter of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. One of the most beneficial things that can have a protective effect on these parents, especially mothers, is the existence of a strong support network from the family. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of individual advocacy counseling on the perceived social support from the family in mothers with pregnancy loss. Materials & Methods: This quasi-experimental study with control group was conducted in 2018 in Urmia. A total of 100 women with pregnancy loss participated in the study. Sampling was done via randomization manner by blocking method. The intervention group received 4 sessions of educational support intervention while the control group received the usual care. Data were collected using demographic information and social support for family scale in two stages (pre-test and post-test) and analyzed by SPSS-22 software and statistical tests with significance level of 0.05. Results: The participants in two groups were well matched except for having a live child (p=0.03). The mean social support scores in the intervention and control group were 10.88 ± 2.73 and 10.28±2.89, respectively. This difference was not statistically significant (p=0.28) at start of the intervention. After intervention, the mean scores in the intervention and control group were 16.4±1.38 and 10.56±2.82, respectively which was statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: Individual advocacy counseling in women with pregnancy loss will increase their understanding from social support, and this can facilitate the process of adaptation in these mothers.