Abstract
BackgroundAssisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment tends to involve significant physical and emotional commitments that can impact maternal, infant, and family health and well-being. An in-depth understanding of experiences is necessary to provide adequate support for women and their families during pregnancy and transition to parenthood following ART treatment. The aim of this study was to explore first-time mothers’ experiences of pregnancy and transition to parenthood following successful ART treatment in Taiwan.MethodTwelve first-time mothers who conceived and gave live birth using ART treatment were purposively selected from a fertility centre in Taipei, Taiwan. Women’s experiences in pregnancy and in their transition to motherhood were explored using semi-structured in-depth interviews. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using the Colaizzi strategy.ResultsThe mothers’ accounts reflected three main themes: ‘being different from mothers who became pregnant naturally’, ‘ensuring health and safety of the foetus’, and ‘welcoming new lives with excitement’. The difference mothers felt about themselves was evident in four subthemes: becoming pregnant after a long wait, feeling vulnerable during pregnancy, relying on family’s assistance and support, and worrying about the impact of ART on health. The theme on ‘ensuring health and safety of the foetus’ encompassed three subthemes: activities to protect the unborn baby, monitoring foetal movement constantly to maintain peace of mind, and receiving foetal reduction for the sake of the pregnancy. Narratives around ‘welcoming new lives with excitement’ reflected four subthemes: overcoming hardship for worthwhile results, realising one’s life and dreams, proving to be fertile enough to give birth, and return to normal life track.ConclusionFindings indicate the need for educational and psychosocial interventions to support women and their families physically and psychologically during ART treatment. The stigma related to infertility and the psychosocial support from family are aspects to consider while planning intervention programmes.
Highlights
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment tends to involve significant physical and emotional commitments that can impact maternal, infant, and family health and well-being
The stigma related to infertility and the psychosocial support from family are aspects to consider while planning intervention programmes
ART treatment could cause huge stresses on women’s psychosocial health, but the women in this study seemed to be remarkably resilient to parenting stress during their transition to motherhood [23]
Summary
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment tends to involve significant physical and emotional commitments that can impact maternal, infant, and family health and well-being. Estimates suggest that more than seven million babies were born worldwide within the last four decades as a result of successful ART since the first baby was born via ART in 1978 [1] While this method of reproduction allows women to circumvent infertility, it may not always produce the desired outcomes [2]. ART treatment tends to involve significant physical and emotional commitments on the part of the couple, and some researchers have linked conception through ART to issues such as delayed mother-infant attachment, reduced maternal confidence, low self-esteem, increased anxiety about pregnancy loss, and overprotective parenting [4,5,6,7]. First-time mothers, after successful ART treatment, may be affected by high anxiety levels and concerns about their child’s health, often resulting in over-protective parenting behaviour [10]
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