Personal growth during early and advanced pregnancy according to women's mode of conception

Pregnancy can be a complex and stressful period, especially for women conceiving through fertility treatment, but this can foster the experience of personal growth (PG). Most of the knowledge on women's PG during pregnancy is based on a single measurement and relates to conceiving achieved through fertility treatments in general. Relying on Schaefer and Moos's PG model, the current prospective study sought to (1) investigate the differences in PG according to women's mode of conception (spontaneous; first-line fertility treatment; IVF) and (2) examine the contribution of the mode of conception, perceived stress, self-mastery, and cognitive appraisal (threat, challenge, and self-efficacy) to PG in two phases during pregnancy.

Israeli pregnant women (Mean age = 32) recruited through a convenience sample, completed self-report questionnaires twice: the first or second trimester of pregnancy (Phase 1; n = 400) and the third trimester (Phase 2; n = 268). A total of 268 participants completed both assessments.

Women who conceived through IVF experienced higher PG and lower self-mastery than women who conceived spontaneously. Regression analyses indicated that IVF, being primiparous, lower self-mastery, lower threat appraisal, and higher challenge appraisal were related to greater PG in Phase 1. Only expecting the first child and challenge appraisal predicted women's PG in Phase 2.

The study highlights that women who conceive through IVF experience greater PG than other women and the significant role of cognitive appraisal in PG over time during pregnancy. These findings may inform focused-based interventions to enhance women's mental health during this period.