title: Maternal reactions to the birth of triplets.
abstract: This study examines the reactions of 14 women to the birth of triplets. Home interviews and observations were conducted at 4 months and 1 year after the birth. The findings indicate that the triplet situation constitutes a real source of psychological stress for the women in this study. Reactions depend on two factors: individual makeup, in that some women become depressed whereas others develop defenses, and amount of support from family and friends. These variables, along with mothers' ability to overcome phantasms of abnormality generated by the exceptionality of a multiple maternity, serve to define a set of predictors of good/poor prognosis for the establishment of triplet-mother relationships.
authors.affiliation: Inserm Unit 187, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hôpital Antoine Béclère, Clamart, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bydlowski
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cahen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Josse
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014310:Triplets