ABSTRACT
The result of a pregnancy test creates a change of status from that of non-pregnant woman to pregnant woman, and it seems that some kind of transition begins at this stage. The pregnancy test therefore emerges as influential very early within the narratives. The pregnancy test result, which was discussed by all interviewees, appears to play an integral role in the shift from non-pregnant to pregnant woman. The confirmed presence of a fetus via the pregnancy test creates an identity that did not exist before. What becomes apparent is that recognition of themselves as pregnant women means that women now situate the fetus as a significant influence. The active role women ascribe to the fetus is supported by the apparent emotional connection and inherent responsibility women discuss in relation to the fetus. The fetus causes physiological changes that allow confirmation of the pregnancy by the pregnancy test, and create the pregnant woman identity.
