Childbearing motivational patterns of primiparous women of advanced age and their partners

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to: (1) describe the positive and negative childbearing motivations of primiparous women of advanced maternal age and their partners (AMA group) compared with their younger counterparts (comparison group) during pregnancy; (2) identify distinct childbearing motivational patterns in the AMA group; and (3) to explore their correlates. Background: First childbirth at advanced maternal age is a growing social concern, but few studies have explored couples’ childbearing motivational patterns, challenging the stereotypes that presuppose that this reproductive trend reflects ambivalent motivations. Methods: Forty-six couples in the AMA group and 44 couples in the comparison group responded to the Childbearing Motivations Scale during the third trimester of pregnancy. Results: The AMA group differed from the comparison group in positive but not negative childbearing motivations. Two childbearing motivational patterns were identified in the AMA group. The ‘realistic childbearing motivational pattern’ was characterised by highly positive motivations that coexisted with moderate negative motivations. The ‘disengaged childbearing motivational pattern’ was characterised by moderate positive motivations that coexisted with low negative motivations. These two patterns had comparable frequencies for women and men. Women who were less satisfied with their professional life and experienced prior adverse pregnancy outcomes and men who reported a higher deviation from child-timing expectations were more likely to report a ‘realistic childbearing motivational pattern’. Conclusion: Healthcare providers should avoid stereotyped views and develop couple-focused interventions across the reproductive lifespan and during antenatal care to promote satisfactory decisions and to prepare couples for the positive aspects and demands of childrearing.

Keywords:

• advanced maternal age
• positive childbearing motivations
• negative childbearing motivations
• childbearing motivational patterns
• couples

Acknowledgements

This study is part of the ‘Transition to parenthood at advanced maternal age: Individual, marital and parental adaptation’ research project, integrated in the Relationships, Development & Health Research Group of the R&D Unit Institute of Cognitive Psychology, Vocational and Social Development of the University of Coimbra (PEst-OE/PSI/UI0192/2011).

Funding

Maryse Guedes is supported by a scholarship from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (SFRH/BD/68912/2010).