Expressive writing for Chinese women with foetal abnormalities undergoing pregnancy termination: an interview study of women's perceptions

Abstract Objective To investigate the effectiveness and applicability of expressive writing and women's experiences during the process. Design and setting A descriptive qualitative study using a phenomenological approach was employed, and telephone interviews were conducted from February to April 2019 at a tertiary hospital in China. Participants The present study included 14 women with foetal abnormalities purposively sampled based on women's scores on the Impact of Event Scale-Revised one month after the completion of the expressive writing intervention. Intervention The participants were asked to write three 15-min essays (i.e. before, during, and after pregnancy termination) related to their experiences with the foetal abnormalities. Findings The transcripts were coded to generate themes and sub-themes to flow from the data. Four themes were revealed from the descriptions of practices of expressive writing during women's hospitalization: 1) benefits of expressive writing, 2) challenges in clinical practice, 3) suggestions for improvement and 4) future directions for development. Key conclusion Expressive writing practices may contribute to the psychological health of women with foetal abnormalities undergoing pregnancy termination. Based on the research, the intervention of expressive writing was optimized to provide a basis for the formulation of psychological intervention strategies and the promotion of psychological rehabilitation for vulnerable women. Implications for practice Expressive writing is an acceptable and feasible form of intervention for women with foetal abnormalities undergoing pregnancy termination.