Psychological Experiences of Pregnant Women with Fetal Growth Restriction in China: A Qualitative Study

Fetal growth restriction is a global public health concern. This study aimed to explore the psychological experiences of pregnant women with fetal growth restriction to develop evidence-based and effective psychological intervention strategies.

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted at Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, China, from November 2024 to April 2025. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristic data were collected. Interview questions were developed following a pre-survey with three women and refined through input from three clinical nursing experts. Subsequently, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 pregnant women diagnosed with fetal growth restriction. The interviews were audio-recorded and analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method. Themes and sub-themes were identified and examined.

Five major themes emerged: (1) unknown fetal outcomes and generalized anxiety (persistent anxiety over fetal health; catastrophic associations related to fetal outcomes), (2) imbalanced medical information and coping dilemmas (overwhelming information; ineffective coping strategies), (3) maternal responsibility discipline and family conflict (maternal attribution of responsibility; counterproductive family support), (4) medical decision-making dilemmas and trust crisis (conflicts in medical interventions; lack of trust in healthcare providers), and (5) social support and improvement of psychological resilience (empathic peer support; buffered family support; trusted medical support).

Pregnant women with fetal growth restriction may experience a range of psychological responses. Future research needs to further explore the specific biological mechanism between psychological factors and occurrence and development of FGR in pregnant women. At the same time, more personalized and effective psychological intervention programs need to be developed and validated, and integrated into the clinical FGR management, in order to improve the overall health outcomes of FGR pregnant women and their offspring. In addition, future research should also explore the dynamic trajectories of psychological experiences among pregnant women with FGR.