Abstract / Summary
On 6 February 2023, major earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria made it difficult for pregnant women in the region to access health services. One year after the earthquake, reproductive health services have not fully recovered, and many women still have difficulty accessing health facilities. This study aims to examine the psychosocial well-being and care needs of women who became pregnant after the earthquake. A convergent parallel design was adopted. Data were obtained from twenty-three pregnant women using the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Pregnancy Psychosocial Health Assessment Scale, the Scale for Determining the Level of Post-Earthquake Trauma, and a semi-structured interview form. Most of the pregnant women stated that they received support from their spouses during this process and found it sufficient. According to the results of the measurement tools, it can be said that 9 participants experienced moderate depressive symptoms, and 4 experienced partially severe depressive symptoms according to PHQ-9. Fourteen participants had good psychosocial health during pregnancy. The post-earthquake trauma scores ranged from 27.0 to 72.0. Qualitative findings identified four main themes related to experiences and needs: (1) emotions and thoughts about pregnancy, (2) psychosocial effects related to earthquake experiences, (3) requirements during pregnancy after the earthquake, and (4) expectations from healthcare professionals. Together, these findings suggest that psychological distress coexists with perceived support and is shaped by post-disaster conditions and unmet needs. The study shows that spouse and family support were the most important factors that positively affected the psychosocial health of women who became pregnant after the earthquake. Despite experiencing difficulties, these women saw pregnancy as a source of hope. These findings indicate that psychological outcomes are shaped by both individual coping processes and post-disaster conditions. The findings highlight the urgent need for gender- and culture-sensitive post-disaster care strategies that address pregnant women’s psychosocial needs. Nurses and midwives, who are often the first points of contact in disaster recovery, should be equipped to provide trauma-informed, empathetic, and continuous care. Integrating psychosocial support with routine antenatal services can significantly improve the well-being and resilience of earthquake-affected pregnant women.