A comprehensive home-care program for health promotion of mothers with preeclampsia: protocol for a mixed method study

BACKGROUND: One of the most common complications of pregnancy and the third cause of maternal death is preeclampsia. Thus this group of mothers should be supported, trained and received efficient health care services. Home-care is one strategy to improvement complications of Pregnancy. In Iran, high-risk pregnancies care provide in health care centers, hospitals and clinics by midwives and obstetricians. In this mixed method study, at first, a qualitative approach will be used to identify preeclampsia mothers’ health needs and home-care strategies for them. Then, the qualitative results will be emerged with literature review and expert ideas to develop a comprehensive home-care program which fits with the needs of these mothers in Iran. METHODS: This study is a qualitative- quantitative mixed exploratory research that consists of three sequential phases. In the first step, in qualitative study, all the women with preeclampsia, obstetricians, midwives, and maternal health policy makers will select purposefully. Health care needs and home-care strategies for mothers with preeclampsia will be determined. Sampling continues until data saturation. In the second step, an expert panel will be formed to prioritization of home-care needs and strategies extracted from result of qualitative study and review of literature. Afterwards, Primary home care program will be designed. In the third step, Delphi method will be used of minimum 10–15 experts including: obstetricians, midwives, and reproductive health professionals about validation of this home-care program by questionnaires in three rounds, then the final program is being developed. DISCUSSION: It is expected conducting a mixed method study to develop a home care program mothers with preeclamsia to improve their health status and wellbeing while reducing additional health care costs through preventing excessive admissions and interventions. Moreover it wants to follow up properly and timely high risk pregnant women. This study might be helpful in improvement quality of health services and promote health equity. CONCLUSION: Developing a home care program for maternal health care especially for high risk pregnancy by considering Iran socio-cultural context.