The Long Path to Motherhood: Personal Growth and Well-Being During Medically Assisted Reproduction

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Reproductive Medicine
• Mental Health

Background:

• Medically assisted reproduction (MAR) research often emphasizes negative mental health impacts on women.
• Emerging evidence suggests women may also experience well-being and personal growth during MAR.
• Understanding resources that foster positive psychological outcomes is crucial for comprehensive care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate personal and social resources contributing to women's well-being and personal growth during MAR.
• To examine the roles of self-mastery, emotional regulation, and social sharing in positive adaptation to MAR.
• To compare personal growth experiences across different MAR procedures, including in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Main Methods:

• A study involving 175 women undergoing MAR.
• Utilized self-report questionnaires to assess socio-demographic, fertility-related, and psychological variables.
• Employed statistical analysis to determine variance in well-being and personal growth.

Main Results:

• Self-mastery significantly predicted both higher well-being and personal growth.
• Lower emotion suppression and greater emotional reappraisal were linked to enhanced well-being and personal growth.
• Women undergoing IVF reported greater personal growth compared to those using other MAR methods.
• The studied variables explained substantial variance in well-being (36.6%) and personal growth (34.4%).

Conclusions:

• Self-mastery, reappraisal, and social sharing are vital resources for well-being and personal growth during MAR.
• Positive psychological outcomes during MAR are distinct constructs requiring tailored intervention strategies.
• Interventions should aim to empower women's mental health by fostering these positive resources during fertility treatments.