Master of Science in Nursing Theses
Date Degree Awarded
8-2013
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.)
School
Nursing
Committee Chair
Amy Voris, D.N.P., RN, CNE
Second Committee Member
Sharon K. Christman, PhD, RN
Third Committee Member
Dennis Sullivan MD, MA (Bioethics), FACS
Keywords
Limited Ultrasound, transtheoretical model, first trimester
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Worldwide, nearly one fourth of all pregnancies end in abortion (WHO, 2007). In the United States, almost 50% of all pregnancies are unintended, and of those, nearly 40% end in abortion. These statistics are alarming, and there are many organizations in North American who are working to lower these abortion rates. One intervention, which has gained widespread popularity among pro-life organizations, is a limited ultrasound. While the general belief among pro-life groups is limited ultrasounds are beneficial in reducing abortion rates, there is a paucity of evidence in this area. Recently, two published reports suggest ultrasound viewing does not result in the abortion rate decline, (Weitz and Karasek, 2010; Kimport, 2012). However, individual Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs) have provided input to suggest the use of limited ultrasounds has increased the percentage of women choosing life after they see their baby via ultrasound, (Piotrowski, Childs, & Keroack, 2004). Also, abortion rates began to decline at the same time ultrasounds started to be used widely as a diagnostic tool for pregnancy, (Gius, 2011). The question many healthcare workers ask is; “should ultrasound images be viewed prior to an abortion” and “what impact could this have on the woman’s decision to abort her pregnancy?” Guided by the Transtheoretical Model, the purpose of this study is to describe the stage of change for abortion in women who are less than 13 weeks pregnant before and after a limited ultrasound. Stage of change for abortion and the woman’s perception of the impact of the ultrasound were measured using a questionnaire designed by the primary investigator.
DOI
10.15385/tmsn.2013.7
Recommended Citation
Turner-Johnson, Deborah A., "Using the Transtheoretical Model to Establish the Impact of a Limited Ultrasound on the Decision-Making Process During the First Trimester Pregnancy: A Pretest-Posttest Design" (2013). Master of Science in Nursing Theses. 8.
https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/nursing_theses/8
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
