title: Admissions for early parenting difficulties among women with infants conceived by assisted reproductive technologies: a prospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe rate of and risks for residential early parenting service (REPS) admissions in women with infants conceived with assisted reproductive technology (ART).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study of women who conceived with ART. Self-report telephone interview and questionnaire data were collected in two pregnancy and three postpartum waves.
  
  
  METHODS
  Melbourne IVF and Royal Women's Hospital Reproductive Services, Victoria, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive cohort of women with ART pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  REPS admission up to 18 months postpartum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 239 eligible women. 183 (77%) were recruited, six experienced pregnancy loss, and 153/177 (86%) were retained. In total, 17% (26/153) of participants were admitted to a REPS, 3.37 times more than the population admission rate of 5.05%. Admission risk was increased by primiparity, inadequate breastfeeding advice, low caregiving confidence when discharged from maternity hospital, lower early postpartum mood, unsettled infant behavior, and insufficient help from others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with spontaneous conception, women who conceived with ART are at elevated risk of early parenting difficulties. Early interventions to address breastfeeding difficulties, management of unsettled infant behavior, social isolation, and postpartum anxiety are indicated.
authors.affiliation: Jean Hailes Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Australia. jane.fisher@monash.edu
authors.forename: Jane R W
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hammarberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004493:Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology