Ethnographic Decision Tree Modeling of the Decision Criteria and Decision Patterns for Adult Married Women with Unexpected Pregnancies ()
ABSTRACT
Introduction: As far as adult and married women were concerned,
when they occurred to “unplanned pregnancy”, they felt so surprised and
concussive all the time. Besides, the unplanned pregnancy also affects the
other members in the family system. Therefore, when married women have to face
the choice: “birth” or “abortion”, they’ll consider lots of thoughts and
different decision criteria and decision pattern under various influences on
physician, mind, mental and society. The purpose of this study was to
investigate the criteria considered and the decision patterns involved when
adult married women decide whether to terminate or continue an unplanned
pregnancy. Methods: The study uses the method—“Ethnographic Decision Tree Modeling” [1] to
build model of the decision criteria and decision patterns involved when adult
married women make a decision about their unplanned pregnancy. There are three
process in the research method: “Pilot Study”—interview two groups, every group
distinct 4 married adult women with unplanned pregnancies, which decide whether
to terminate or continue an unplanned pregnancy, what is the items of decision
characters affect to the choice: “birth” or “abortion”. “Building of the
Model”, displays the importance in proper order of those items and build the
modeling with these two groups of women. “Testing of the Model”: investigate
the criteria considered and the decision patterns involved when adult married
women decide whether to terminate or continue an unplanned pregnancy. The study
interviewed 34 married adult women with 43 unplanned pregnancies totally. Results: The result of the study finds out 12 items of decision characters, including planning to get pregnant
or not, stability of feelings for married partner, the points of view on life,
was affected by mother, mother-in-law, an husband’s emphasis on male, the
meanings of children, the financial burden, the plan an assignment of career
and time, the past pregnant experiences, the status of raising children, the
health of parents and fetus, the effect of living environment, and social and
cultural vision. Besides, there are four decision patterns of married adult
women with unplanned pregnancy are “receiving abortion positively”; “giving
birth as long as getting pregnancy naturally”; “ the minds are hesitative and
changeable”, and “being forced by important others.” Conclusion: By setting the decision model tree, we found several
decision criteria and patterns, and possible modes actions to be taken, could
offer to see the adult married women’s decision-making and struggles in mind
about unplanned pregnancy.
Share and Cite:
Li, Y. , Tsai, Y. and Lan, P. (2017) Ethnographic Decision Tree Modeling of the Decision Criteria and Decision Patterns for Adult Married Women with Unexpected Pregnancies.
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
7, 1052-1063. doi:
10.4236/ojog.2017.710106.