Voices of Pregnant Mothers: Accounts of Psychological Support from Midwives and Spouse at Sunyani Teaching Hospital, Ghana

Background: Support during pregnancy and childbirth significantly shape women’s experiences and can mitigate challenges during delivery. Conversely, lack of emotional support, particularly from spouses and midwives, may lead to heightened anxiety and depression among expectant mothers, potentially impacting birth outcomes negatively. Method: This qualitative study delved into the role of midwives and spouses in providing psychological support to pregnant women attending antenatal care at Bono Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Employing an exploratory design, thirty participants were purposively selected from the hospital’s maternity and antenatal ward. Data was collected through interviews and analyzed using ATLAS.ti software. Results: Five main themes emerged: “Spousal support during pregnancy and childbirth,” encompassing sub-themes such as providing financial assistance and assisting with household duties; “Midwives support during pregnancy and childbirth,” including sub-themes like offering necessary care and preparing for childbirth; “Expected types of support,” with sub-themes such as spouse presence during labour and patience from midwives; “Spousal barriers to support,” which highlighted sub-themes like work commitments and financial constraints; and “Midwives barriers to support,” revealed sub-themes such as disrespectful behaviour from pregnant women and noncompliance. Conclusion: These themes showed the significance of diverse forms of support and illuminated challenges hindering psychological support. Understanding these dynamics could inform strategies to bolster support systems for pregnant women.