title: Maternal adaptation during pregnancy among adult early, middle, and late childbearers: similarities and differences.
abstract: Women 20-24 (n = 10), 25-29 (n = 13), and 30 and over (n = 18) were interviewed and their responses compared on six variables: maternal-fetal relationship, quality of the marital relationship, preparation for motherhood, attitude towards the pregnancy, maternal role conceptualization, and motivation for motherhood. Later childbearing was significantly related to three variables: motivation for motherhood, maternal-fetal relationship, and maternal role conceptualization. Women 25-29 years old were more similar to women 30 years and older than to younger women. The data suggest that young adult women 20-24 years old may experience more difficulty in prenatal adjustment to the maternal role than those 25 and older. Data also suggest the need to reconsider the traditional age-comparative split of the 20s versus the 30s.
authors.affiliation: University of Rochester.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gottesman
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008016:Life Change Events; D016014:Linear Models; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D008423:Maternal Age; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009042:Motivation; D009518:New York; D010934:Planning Techniques; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D012380:Role; D012649:Self Concept