‘Super-mothers’: the meaning of mothering after assisted reproductive technology

Abstract

Objective: The objective was to explore mothers’ experiences after assisted reproductive technology (ART). Background: The experience of mothering in women after assisstive reproductions has not been fully understood. Study design: An interpretive phenomenology approach was used to conduct the study. Participants: A purposive sample of nine mothers who had babies through ART participated in the study. Data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews. Findings: ‘Super-mothering’ was the main theme emerging from the data, describing mothers who wanted to be exceptional by performing all of their mothering responsibilities without fatigue or exhaustion and who were ready to do everything in their power to support the child. This theme incorporates four sub-themes: (1) over-care; (2) over-protection; (3) over-emotional investment; and (4) over-expectation of themselves and others. Conclusion: The challenge to be a mother through ART is a stressful phenomenon, particularly so for the majority who are also first-time mothers. Healthcare professionals need to consider the concept of super-mothering in trying to understand and care effectively for this group.

Keywords:

• ART mothers
• interpretive phenomenology
• lived experience

Acknowledgements

This article is based on the first author’s PhD dissertation. The research was conducted at the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). We are thankful to the participants who shared their experiences with us. In addition, we acknowledge TUMS for financial support of the research project.