Maternal adaptation in women whose infants are born with a genetic anomaly or birth defect

• Main Author: Little, Cynthia M
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.2008
• Subjects: Babies; Birth defects; Genetic disorders; Nursing; Womens health
• ISBN: 0549489614; 9780549489610

The March of Dimes reports that 120,000 babies are born each year with birth defects that are the leading cause of death in the first year of life and account for more than 20% of all infant deaths in the United States. Prenatal genetic tests to identify women who have an increased risk for giving birth to an infant with a birth defect or disease, or who may need genetic counseling, is available for most women. Prenatal testing provides an opportunity for parents to make plans for the birth of a child with special needs, seek in-utero treatment, or terminate the pregnancy. Few studies have examined a woman's experience and her needs following her decision to continue a pregnancy after receiving a positive prenatal diagnosis. The purpose of this study was threefold. The first purpose was to determine whether maternal adaptation is compromised when a mother receives a positive prenatal diagnosis and gives birth to an infant with a genetic anomaly or birth defect. The second purpose was to determine the demographic characteristics of women who continue their pregnancies following a devastating genetic prenatal diagnosis. The third purpose was to examine the relationships among maternal resilience factors (mastery of stress and maternal infant attachment) that contribute to maternal adaptation. Women were recruited through genetic support groups and by members of the International Society of Nurses in Genetics. Collection of data was done through an electronic Internet survey of 152 items which included Younger's Mastery of Stress (revised) instrument, Mullet's Maternal-Infant Attachment Inventory, and Lederman's Post-Partum Self-Evaluation. A total of 112 women began the survey; however, 72% completed it. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze data and correlations were run on demographics and resilience factors (mastery of stress, maternal infant attachment, and maternal adaptation). Importance of religion and mastery of stress were correlated with attachment and attachment was highly correlated with maternal adaptation. Regression analysis found attachment to be the strongest predictor of maternal adaptation.