PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN’S PREPAREDNESS FOR FLOOD DISASTERS IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Authors

  • Marni Universitas Duta Bangsa Surakarta
  • Riska Rosita Universitas Duta Bangsa Surakarta
  • Putri Halimu Husna Akademi Keperawatan Giri Satria Husada
  • M Nur Khamid State University of Malang image/svg+xml
  • Kharisma Besty Chatarina Universitas Duta Bangsa Surakarta
  • Irawanda March Safitri Universitas Duta Bangsa Surakarta

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47701/kcbbnz94

Keywords:

Climate change, flood disaster, maternal health, self- efficacy, social support

Abstract

Climate change is increasing the frequency of
hydrometeorological hazards such as floods, with
important implications for maternal and neonatal health,
yet the lived experiences of pregnant and postpartum
women in flood-prone Indonesian communities remain
insufficiently described. This qualitative exploratory study
aimed to examine disaster preparedness, self-efficacy, and
social support among pregnant and postpartum women

and relevant community stakeholders in flood-prone sub-
districts of Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java, Indonesia.

Data were generated through in-depth interviews, small-
group discussions, and field observations with seventeen

participants, including disaster-management officers,
health authorities, primary healthcare staff, a village
midwife, a health cadre, community volunteers, and seven
pregnant or postpartum women, then analyzed
thematically with source triangulation. The findings show
that preparedness was associated with cumulative
community experience of flooding, while shelters often
lacked maternal-specific supplies such as sanitary pads,
diapers, and infant formula. Self-efficacy appeared
strengthened by experience but constrained by the physical
limitations of pregnancy and early postpartum recovery,
and social support extended beyond husbands to mothers,
mothers-in-law, extended family, volunteers, and health
cadres. These findings support the development of
maternal-responsive preparedness, physically assisted
evacuation, and multilevel social support within disaster
risk reduction and antenatal care services

References

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). (2017). Hospital disaster

preparedness for obstetricians and facilities providing maternity care. Obstetrics and

Gynecology.

Arikan, Y.A., et al. (2026). The effect of disaster awareness training on disaster

preparedness levels among pregnant women: a single-group pre-test–post-test quasi-

experimental study. Journal of Disaster and Risk.

Banerjee, S., et al. (2019). Building capacities of women for climate change adaptation:

insights from migrant-sending households in Nepal. Climatic Change.

Baten, A., et al. (2020). Impact of Recurrent Floods on the Utilization of Maternal and

Newborn Healthcare in Bangladesh. Maternal and Child Health Journal.

Callaghan, W.M., et al. (2007). Health concerns of women and infants in times of natural

disasters. Maternal and Child Health Journal.

Cangöl, E., & Yıldırım, E.S. (2026). The effect of disaster preparedness training on

knowledge and preparedness levels of pregnant women: a randomized controlled

study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.

Davis, D., et al. (2023). Pregnant women’s experiences of extreme exposure to bushfire-

associated smoke: a qualitative study. Environmental Research: Health.

Datta, R., et al. (2026). Flood disasters, minority health, and community-led adaptations in

Bangladesh’s wetlands. World Development Perspectives.

Ewing, B., et al. (2008). Assisting pregnant women to prepare for disaster. MCN The

American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing.

Giarratano, G.P., et al. (2019). Mental health and worries of pregnant women living through

disaster recovery. Health Care for Women International.

Goldin, J., et al. (2019). Towards a gender-sensitive vulnerability assessment for climate

change: Lambani, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Human Geography.

Ha, S. (2022). The changing climate and pregnancy health. Current Environmental Health

Reports.

Hapsari, E.D., et al. (2020). Information needs in pregnant women living in disaster-prone

areas. Enfermería Clínica.

He, C., et al. (2024). Flood exposure and pregnancy loss in 33 developing countries. Nature

Communications.

Jeffers, N.K., et al. (2022). Experiences of pregnant women exposed to Hurricanes Irma

and Maria in the US Virgin Islands: a qualitative study. BMC Pregnancy and

Childbirth.

Jerin, T., et al. (2023). Climate change-triggered vulnerability assessment of flood-prone

communities in Bangladesh: a gender perspective. International Journal of Disaster

Risk Reduction.

Lafarga-Previdi, I., et al. (2022). The Impact of Natural Disasters on Maternal Health.

Children.

Lawler, K., et al. (2025). A systematic review with meta-analysis on the effects of maternal

exposure to natural disasters on human birth outcomes. International Journal of

Hygiene and Environmental Health.

Li, Q., et al. (2026). Prenatal exposure to flood and risk of low birth weight: a multi-country

study from 36 African countries. BMC Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-

026-04875-z

Liu, J., et al. (2026). Risk and burden of adverse birth outcomes associated with flood

exposure in China: A 4.4 million mother-infant cohort study. Environment

International.

Mendrinos, A., et al. (2025). The effect of flooding on low birthweight and preterm birth:

a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health.

Mroz, E.J., et al. (2023). Impacts of seasonal flooding on geographical access to maternal

healthcare in Zambia. International Journal of Health Geographics.

Pike, A., et al. (2022). New life through disaster: a thematic analysis of women’s

experiences of pregnancy and the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire. Frontiers in Public

Health.

Sadia, H., et al. (2016). Gender-sensitive public health risks and vulnerabilities’ assessment

with reference to floods in Pakistan. International Journal of Disaster Risk

Reduction.

Severson, E., et al. (2023). Experiencing trauma during or before pregnancy: qualitative

secondary analysis after two disasters. Maternal and Child Health Journal.

Shah, A.A., et al. (2025). Health and livelihood impacts of flood hazards on internally

displaced persons in Pakistan. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction.

Shope, C.D., et al. (2025). Social vulnerability and perinatal risk: demographic

determinants of the impact of a natural disaster on pregnant women. Disaster

Medicine and Public Health Preparedness.

Silva-Suarez, G., et al. (2021). Pregnant women’s experiences during Hurricane Maria:

impact, personal meaning, and health care needs. International Journal of

Environmental Research and Public Health.

Soomar, S.M., et al. (2023). “Women are again unsafe”: preventing violence and poor

maternal outcomes during current floods in Pakistan. Journal of Global Health.

Tran, H.K., & Downes, N.K. (2023). Narratives of women’s resilience to flood risks in Ho

Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Environment and Urbanization ASIA.

Ullah, W., et al. (2024). Behind the floodwaters: violence against women and disaster

management capacities in flood-affected areas of Pakistan. Climate Risk

Management.

Wendt Viola, T.W., et al. (2025). Cumulative effects of severe childhood maltreatment and

flood-related residential displacement on PTSD risk among pregnant women. Child

Abuse and Neglect.

Xiong, X., et al. (2010). Hurricane Katrina experience and the risk of post-traumatic stress

disorder and depression among pregnant women. American Journal of Disaster

Medicine.

Zheng, Y., et al. (2026). Flood exposure during pregnancy and risk of preterm birth: A

study of 25 countries from Africa. Advances in Climate Change Research

Downloads

Published

2026-09-26