Self-acceptance and attitudes towards pregnancy and femininity among primiparae

Abstract

Ninety-two primiparous women, 43 in the fifth, sixth or seventh month of pregnancy and 49 in the eighth or ninth month, were administered the Maternal Attitude to Pregnancy Instrument (MAPI), the Objective Social Perception Inventory (OSPI), an attitude questionnaire relating to various aspects of the feminine experience, and measures of self-acceptance and self-acceptance as potential mother based on Osgood's semantic differential. No difference in mean level of self-acceptance, self-acceptance as potential mother or score on the MAPI was noted for women in the two stages of pregnancy, but women in the last months of pregnancy gave evidence of significantly more negatives attitudes on the OSPI.

The correlation between self-acceptance and self-acceptance as potential mother was significant at both stages of pregnancy. Self-acceptance as potential mother was significantly related to scores on both attitude measures in the middle months of pregnancy, but not in the final months. Self-acceptance was significantly correlated with scores on the MAPI and the OSPI at both stages of pregnancy, women with low self-acceptance manifesting more negative attitudes. These findings suggest that women's perceptions of themselves and of motherhood should be accorded consideration in their antenatal classes and support groups.