Women’s reflections on timing of motherhood: a meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence

Reproductive Health

Review

Jane Clemensen¹  Henriette Svarre-Nielsen²  Tove Faber Frandsen³  Heidi Lene Myglegaard Andersen⁴  Camilla Gry Temmesen⁵  Kathrine Birch Petersen⁶ 

[1] Department of Children, Hans Christian Andersen Children’s Hospital, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark;Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark;Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark;Department of Design and Communication, University of Southern Denmark, Kolding, Denmark;Department of Nursing, University College Absalon, Roskilde, Denmark;Department of Nutrition, Rehabilitation and Midwifery, University College Absalon, Sdr. Stationsvej 30, 4200, Slagelse, Denmark;Clinical Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark;Specialist in Fertility, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Copenhagen, Denmark;

关键词: Motherhood;    Timing;    Women;    Reproduction;    Reproductive age;    Advanced maternal age;    Postponing;    Meta-synthesis;    Systematic review;    Qualitative evidence synthesis;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12978-022-01548-x

 received in 2022-02-17, accepted in 2022-12-11,  发布年份 2022

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

IntroductionFertility declines with increasing age, especially in women. In recent decades women’s age at the birth of their first child has risen markedly in many countries, and an increasing number of women do not establish a family until their late-twenties to mid-thirties. Although there can be various reasons that couples experience fertility problems, advanced maternal age is the most frequent cause for difficulties with achieving pregnancy.ObjectiveIn this meta-synthesis, we investigated reflections on timing of motherhood in women who have not yet had children.MethodsA systematic literature search of six electronic databases and manual searches of reference lists identified eight qualitative studies published between 2011 and 2018 that focused on women’s reflections on timing of motherhood. The studies were assessed with the Critical Assessment Skills Programme (CASP) quality appraisal tool. The results were synthesized using Noblit and Hare’s meta-ethnographic approach as described by Malterud.FindingsAn overall theme of ‘Timing of motherhood’ and four overlapping subthemes were identified: Making a life-changing decision, The right time, Fear of regret, and Plan B. The dilemmas associated with timing of motherhood leave women of reproductive age balancing their priorities and values against a biological deadline for having children naturally or through assisted reproductive technology.ConclusionsWomen of reproductive age are aware that they must make a life-changing decision as to if or when to have children, but they consider having children at ‘the right time’ to be important. Simultaneously, while some women are reluctant to have children for various reasons, they express fear that waiting too long could result in their regretting not having children later in life. Although women of reproductive age express concern about their ability to achieve pregnancy, they have limited focus on the medical risks associated with postponing motherhood. There is a need to establish preventive health initiatives to support women of reproductive age in their considerations regarding timing of motherhood.Trial registration number: PROSPERO: CRD42020175151.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

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