Parents of 5-year-old in vitro fertilization children: Psychological adjustment, parenting stress and the influence of subsequent in vitro fertilization treatment.

Abstract

Sixty-six parents who had conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) were compared with 46 matched naturally conceiving control parents regarding psychosocial adjustment and parenting stress 5 years after the birth of their first child. IVF mothers reported a more external locus of control than did control mothers but did not differ on other measures. Within the IVF group, higher levels of treatment predicted lower parenting stress and more defensive responding on the Parenting Stress Index (R. Abidin, 1990). The more positive reporting of high-treatment IVF parents may be attributable to either defensive responding or the fact that they are particularly highly motivated and competent parents. The study findings confirm a growing body of research regarding overall positive adjustment in IVF parents but also highlight the importance of considering individual differences among IVF mothers with respect to treatment experience.

Parenting and child psychosocial development after infertility management

“…Similar to Hahn and DiPietro [12], IVF and ICSI mothers of 5-year-old children reported more protective attitudes, although they did not differ in parenting stress from naturally conceiving mothers [13]. McMahon et al [19] examined parenting stress, with respect to subsequent IVF treatment for parents of 5-year-olds, and found higher levels of treatment predicted lower maternal stress but more defensive responding, which may reflect a positive responding bias among IVF mothers or that they were highly motivated, competent parents.…”

Families Created by Egg Donation: Parent–Child Relationship Quality in Infancy

“…Known risk factors include depressive symptoms (Rosenblum et al., ), lack of support from partners, and lack of social support (Vreeswijk, Rijk, Maas, & van Bakel, ). Parents in the present study could be considered a low‐risk sample; they were highly satisfied with the support available to them (as assessed by the PDI), and it has also been suggested that couples who persist with fertility treatment despite failures may comprise a group of self‐selected individuals with strong coping skills who may be less affected by the everyday hassles of parenthood (McMahon, Gibson, Leslie, Cohen, & Tennant, ). Having waited so long to have their child, parents who have formed their families through assisted reproduction may be particularly committed and loving parents, who view their child as especially precious (Golombok et al., ), and this is likely reflected in their positive representations of the parent–infant relationship.…”

Desafios para a maternidade no contexto da reprodução medicamente assistida: terceiro mês do bebê

“…Com a gravidez e o nascimento de um bebê após o tratamento por TRA, novos sentimentos, vivências e desafios se impõem ao casal durante a transição para a maternidade e a paternidade, cujas implicações ainda são pouco conhecidas (McMahon, Gibson, Leslie, Cohen, & Tennant, 2003). Apesar de significar a possibilidade de realizar o projeto parental e constituir uma família, a chegada de um bebê nesse contexto também representa uma situação para a qual existe pouca informação na literatura (Makuch & Kahalle, 2009).…”