Exploring UP journeys among women with psychiatric vulnerability using interpretative phenomenological analysis 181 perceived as challenging pregnancies, we hypothesize that they can also provide a window of opportunity for personal growth in this subgroup of pregnant women. Strengths and limitations The main strength of this study is that to date, no other study has explored the unique experiences of UPs in women with psychiatric vulnerability using prospective qualitative data. The interview guide was developed following a panel discussion with experts with lived experience with UPs and psychiatric vulnerability, adding suitability and appropriateness. The small sample size is regarded as a strength, as it serves the IPA in prioritizing individual experiences29. Although the included women were homogenous in the presence of a psychiatric disorder, enhancing similarity, we included women with various psychiatric disorders, which provided a deeper understanding from a transdiagnostic viewpoint38. We invited involved partners because partner experiences are understudied in the context of UPs, especially among women with psychiatric vulnerability. Ad-verbatim transcribed interviews were analyzed for both semantic content and form: emotional responses, metaphors and nonverbal communication were used to attribute meaning to the transcripts. We further adhered to the phenomenological standpoint by including bodily experiences in the interpretation of findings such as feeling kicks of the baby34. By adhering to the sevenstep analytical plan of Charlick et al., we increased procedural precision28. The analysis was performed by two independent researchers (NS, ES), and all discrepancies in interpretation were thoroughly discussed. Finally, the analysis was evaluated by the whole research team, including two experts with lived experience, who added credibility and increased the triangulation of perspectives in data interpretation. Having scheduled interviews both before and after childbirth with the same participants added further deeper understanding of changes over time in the experiences of the participants. We reached congruence with the research question, as the IPA enabled a thorough, narrative description of patients’ lived experiences with UPs. This study has several limitations. A disadvantage of this IPA study is that the results reflect the perceptions of individuals who resemble the purposively collected sample. Thus, our findings cannot be extrapolated to all expectant parents with mental health problems and UPs. In our sample, all women and men were employed, indicating a medium to high socioeconomic status, which might have influenced the possibility of accepting a pregnancy for financial reasons. All but one of the women were pregnant with their first child. This may indicate selection bias, as women with (multiple) children may not have time or space to participate in an interview. One of the inclusion criteria was that participants speak Dutch or English fluently, leaving out people who might
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTk4NDMw