Congruence of the Marital Relationship During Transition to Parenthood: A Study with Couples Who Conceived Spontaneously or Through Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Abstract

In this study we examined the congruence between partners' perceptions of their marital relationship during the transition to parenthood and the effect of depression during pregnancy on couples' congruence during the early postpartum period. Thirty-one couples who conceived spontaneously, along with thirty-five who conceived through assisted reproductive technologies (ART), provided data on their marital relationship and depression at their 24th pregnancy week and four months after the partum. All couples reported a decrease in marital congruence. Couples who conceived through ART reported lower marital congruence. For these subjects, women's depression was associated with lower congruence. Interventions that focus on strengthening the marital relationship across the transition to parenthood should assess and promote couples' congruence.

Predictors of Stability and Change in Private Safety Nets of Unmarried Mothers

“…Indeed, married parents enjoy a “support bubble” that begins to expand shortly before the birth of their first child and continues to grow over the child’s first three months. This bubble subsequently deflates, as friends and family members perceive that the new parents have adjusted to their new responsibilities (Belsky & Rovine, 1984; Bost et al, 2002; Gameiro et al, 2010). …”

“…As the excitement following the birth begins to fade, however, and the mother recovers from the physical demands of pregnancy and parturition and adjusts to the new demands on her time and energy, support from family and friends may fall off as it does among married couples (Bost et al, 2002; Belsky & Rovine, 1984; Gameiro et al, 2010). It is also possible that single mothers’ safety net trajectories do not follow those of their married counterparts.…”

Changes in marital congruence and quality of life across the transition to parenthood in couples who conceived spontaneously or with assisted reproductive technologies

“…When they manage to conceive, these couples also show stronger feelings of cohesion (19) than couples who conceive spontaneously. However, it was also found that, from pregnancy to the postpartum period, ART couples experience decreases and overall lower agreement in their perceptions of their marital relationship that are not experienced by couples who conceive spontaneously (20).…”

Perceived Admiration and Transition to Parenthood for Black and White Married Couples

“…Lastly, the EYM project was designed to investigate a large group of Black American couples, which allowed for important analyses of the links between the transition to parenthood and marital quality by race. Given the large cultural, economic, and racial differences between couples, researchers have recently been investigating the transition to parenthood with more diverse samples (Gameiro, Moura-Ramos, Canavarro, Santos, & Dattilio, 2011; Ngu & Florsheim, 2011), which we suggest should continue in order to understand the nuances of marital quality among a wider array of couples.…”