Adequacy of social support and satisfaction with life during childbirth

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Pregnancy and childbirth exert a significant impact on the life of women and men. In the situation of childbirth, obtaining satisfactory social support may constitute an important determinant of women's satisfaction with life. Aim The aim of the paper was to determine whether there exists a difference between social support received by women and social support provided by partners during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and the postpartum period, as well as to discover whether there exists a relationship between social support obtained by women and their life satisfaction. Material and methods The statistical analysis included 199 women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and 186 of their partners/husbands. The subsequent measurement – in the postpartum period – involved individuals who took part in the first phase: 182 women and 177 partners/husbands. Results and discussion No major discrepancies were observed with regard to informative and emotional social support received by women and provided by their partners during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and the postpartum period. Instrumental support received by women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and in the postpartum period differs considerably from instrumental support provided by partners. Social support obtained by women correlates with their life satisfaction. Conclusions Good relations with the partner seem to act like a ‘buffer’ against the negative influence of stress-causing factors and may to some extent prevent women from decreasing their life satisfaction after childbirth.