Motherhood Role From a Postpartum Perspective: Effects Reflected by High-Risk and Normal Pregnancies

Abstract

High-risk pregnancies not only heighten concerns about the baby's health but also have the potential to impact the mother-infant relationship by shifting the mother's focus towards her own health needs. This study aims to delve into the intricacies of motherhood roles among women experiencing high-risk pregnancies compared to those with uncomplicated pregnancies, aiming to shed light on the disparities between the two groups. The participants of this descriptive, comparative, and correlational study consisted of literate mothers admitted to a hospital in Eastern Turkey, diagnosed with high-risk pregnancies, and with no prior history of psychological support. Due to an inability to reach the entire population, an unknown sampling method was employed for sampling calculation. The sample comprised 133 mothers with high-risk pregnancies and an equal number of healthy mothers, totaling 266 participants. Data were collected using the "Maternal Introduction Form" and the "Maternal Role Gaining Scale", and analyses were conducted using the SPSS Statistical Programme. Given the non-normal distribution of the variables, nonparametric tests were applied post reliability analysis. There is a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in the scores of maternal attitude and anxiety, as well as maternal role and the Maternal Role Gaining Scale, based on various demographic factors such as marriage duration, spouse's education, family economic status, pre-pregnancy health issues, medication use, hospitalization status and reason, assigned sex of the baby and desired gender, total pregnancies, mode of delivery, postpartum difficulties, support for baby care, feeding method, high-risk pregnancy diagnosis, and week of diagnosis. A Bonferroni corrected analysis also revealed significant differences between mothers with and without high-risk pregnancies.