Communication in Relation of Women and Couple Counseling

Communication

Every step of life requires communication. It is essential to communicate our needs, responses, and expectations of others. In the workplace, communication is essential for gathering patient histories, comprehending and helping patients grasp problems, imparting knowledge about nutrition and health, giving management guidance, receiving feedback, etc.

Neither an input nor an output is communication. It is a process that is constantly changing in response to the current situation, information that is accessible, needs and demands, the influence of prior communications, and other factors.

Points for Effective and Efficient Communication

• Use face-to-face contact wherever possible, especially when conveying challenging messages.
• Be a focused listener.
• Pay attention to the verbal and nonverbal cues
• Usually, it is beneficial to supplement verbal communication with written communication.
• Verify that the intended message has been understood. Do not ask, "Do you get it?" Instead, ask, "Can you review what I just told you in case I missed anything?"

Components of the personality that influences communication

• The capacity to hear clarity of speech
• Managing feelings
• Self-disclosure
• Protection mechanism
• Suggestions for efficient and productive communication.

WHO advice for good communication between maternity care professionals and laboring mothers

The GDG decided that, in the absence of a recognized definition of "Effective communication," effective communication between maternity care workers and women during labor and delivery should, at the very least, comprise the following.

• Addressing the woman by name and introducing themselves to her and her companion
• Avoiding medical jargon, providing the woman and her family with the information they require in a straightforward and succinct manner (in the language the woman and her family speak), and using pictorial and graphic materials to describe processes or procedures as necessary
• A good attitude and consideration for the woman's needs, preferences, and inquiries
• Supporting the woman's emotional needs with compassion and empathy through active listening, compliments, praise, and reassurance;
• Assisting the woman in realizing her power of choice and ensuring that those decisions are respected
• Ensuring that procedures are described to the woman and obtaining her verbal and, where necessary, supporting written informed consent for procedures including pelvic exams
• Encourage the woman to communicate her needs and preferences, keep her and her family informed of developments, and ask if they have any questions all the while.
• Ensuring that confidentiality and privacy are upheld at all times
• Ensuring the woman is aware of the methods available for dealing with
• Having conversations with the woman's preferred companion to ensure that she is fully supported during labor and delivery
• Health systems should make sure that maternity care staff members are trained in accordance with national requirements for proficiency in counseling and interpersonal communication skills.

Preconceptional counseling

In order to discuss and alter lifestyle choices as well as evaluate and improve medical health prior to conception, preconception or pre-pregnancy counseling involves meeting with women many months before conception. There are numerous opportunities to lay the groundwork for a healthy pregnancy during the times before getting pregnant and in between pregnancies.

If a mother has a medical condition, she should be advised about the dangers of pregnancy for both the mother and the fetus. This will enable the woman to make an informed decision about whether to carry the pregnancy to term or to seek specialist care if necessary.

• Mother
  • Maternal mortality, antenatal or postnatal disease aggravation
• Fetus
  • Growth limitation, premature delivery, stillbirth, neonatal illness, and mortality are examples of malformations (genetic, teratogens).

Purpose of Pre-Conception Counselling

• Inform the woman and her partner of basic counsel as well as information on lifestyle choices like exercise, eating habits, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
• Find any medical conditions that could affect pregnancy and suggest whether or not pregnancy should not be considered right now.
• Examine any existing medical issues, improve the status of the disease, and alter medications, in particular. Describe any condition's effects on the mother, the fetus, and the pregnancy.
• Before becoming pregnant, identify couples who run the risk of having children with genetic diseases and recommend them for genetic counseling;
• If it is believed that pregnancy is not currently advised or if the woman wishes not to become pregnant, talk about contraception.

Preconception care

• Is the provision of health treatments that are preventive, promoter, and curative as well as social interventions prior to conception.

Interconception care

• Is the provision of social interventions between pregnancies along with preventative, promotional, and curative health care.

Component of pre-conceptional care

• Healthy living
• Determining the risk variables
• Evaluation of any complications
• The management of any illness

Health Promotion

• It contains information about eating a healthy diet and taking 400 micrograms of folic acid daily with 4 milligrams taken before conception to prevent neural tube defects up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy.
• Prenatal care and regular iron supplementation
• Advice on the use of naturopathic medicines, nutritional supplements, and over-the-counter drugs.
• Encourage the pregnant woman to keep a healthy weight to avoid developing numerous medical issues. Analyze the likelihood of nutritional deficiencies, such as those caused by veganism, PICA, milk intolerance, a calcium or iron shortage.
• Encourage the lady to limit her intake of vitamin A (3,000 IU maximum daily), vitamin D (400 IU maximum daily), caffeine (two cups of coffee or six glasses of soda maximum daily), and to check for domestic violence.
• Changing the woman's lifestyle through regular, moderate exercise.
• Avoid getting too hot (hot tubs).

Identification of the Risk Factors

Examine your overall health and the potential for improvement. Check to see whether the woman has any untreated or undetected medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, thyroid disease, dental caries or gum disease, heart disease, asthma)

• Diabetes
  • Optimize control of blood sugar
• Hypertension 
  • Avoid ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists
• Epilepsy
  • Consider increased dose of folic acid
• DVT
  • Switch from warfarin (Coumadin) to heparin
• Discuss current benefit/risk pharmaceutical evidence for treating depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.

Assess Any Complications from Previous Pregnancies

• Cesarean delivery
• Premature birth
• Pregnancy hypertensive disorder
• Rh incompatibility and diabetes
• Postpartum bleeding
• (DVT/PE) Thrombotic event

Treatment of the disorders through intervention

• Check for infectious illnesses Treat, immunize, and counsel individuals with gonorrhea/chlamydia, CMV, hepatitis C, and HIV who have tattoos and/or body piercings.
• Up to 12 weeks during pregnancy, 400 mcg of folic acid daily with 4 mg before conception is advised to avoid neural tube abnormalities.
• Immunizations
• Rubella, varicella, and hepatitis B Get a flu shot if you're going to be pregnant during flu season.
• Maintain the woman's weight if she is overweight or underweight, and if anemia is present, treat it.
• Counsel the couple about the risk by assessing the risk, defining the risk, and discussing potential remedies. Screen for any genetic diseases or congenital anomalies.