Personal growth in early pregnancy: the role of perceived stress and emotion regulation.

OBJECTIVE: Coping with the stress aroused by early pregnancy can not only result in distress, but may constitute an opportunity to experience personal growth. Relying on the model of posttraumatic growth, this study examined the contribution of perceived stress and emotion regulation to women's personal growth during the first trimester of pregnancy. METHOD: A convenience sample of Israeli women (n=170), who were during their first trimester of pregnancy (up to 13 weeks), over 18 years old, and capable to completing the instruments in Hebrew, were recruited through a women's health clinic and through social media during the years 2017-2019. RESULTS: The findings indicate that primiparous mothers report higher personal growth than multiparous. In addition, younger age, being primiparous, and higher cognitive-reappraisal contributed to greater personal growth. Moreover, a curvilinear association was found between perceived stress and personal growth, so that a medium level of stress was associated with the highest level of growth. Finally, cognitive-reappraisal fully mediated the relationship between perceived stress and personal growth. CONCLUSIONS: The findings add to the growing body of knowledge concerning the implications of early pregnancy in general, and personal growth as a result of dealing with the stress typical of this period in particular and highlight the role of the perceived stress as well as the woman's personal characteristics and resources that contribute to this result.

Mothers' personal growth in the first year: the role of perceived childbirth experience and support.

INTRODUCTION: The study examined mothers' personal growth in the first year after childbirth, investigating the contribution of several aspects of the childbirth experience (assisted delivery, length of labour, pain during labour, infant's weight, gestation week, and two dimensions of the Hebrew BSS-R: perception of positive childbirth and of the quality of professional care), as well as the role of social support. METHODS: Israeli mothers (n = 408) completed a set of self-report questionnaires up to one year following the birth of their first child/ren. RESULTS: Positive correlations were found between mother's growth and higher perception of the birth as positive, higher perceived care provided by the health team during labour, and higher perceived support from people close to her. Regression analysis indicated the significant contributions of the quality of care by the professional health team and the support provided by others to mothers' personal growth in the first year of motherhood. DISCUSSION: The results highlight the importance of receiving support during the various stages of the transition to motherhood. It is recommended that professionals encourage support for new mothers not only to ensure their adaptation to parenthood, but also to enhance their potential to thrive.

Pregnancy outcome in women with heart disease undergoing induction of labour.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the safety and outcome of induction of labour in women with heart disease. DESIGN: Prospective single-centre comparative study. SETTING: Major university-based medical centre. POPULATION/SAMPLE: One hundred and twenty-one pregnant women with heart disease. METHODS: The sample included all women with acquired or congenital heart disease who attended our High-Risk Pregnancy Outpatient Clinic from 1995 to 2001. The files were reviewed for baseline data, cardiac and obstetric history, course of pregnancy and induction of labour and outcome of pregnancy. Findings were compared between women who underwent induction of labour and those who did not. Forty-seven healthy women in whom labour was induced for obstetric reasons served as controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pregnancy outcome. RESULTS: Of the 121 women with heart disease, 47 (39%) underwent induction of labour. There was no difference in the caesarean delivery rate after induction of labour between the women with heart disease (21%) and the healthy controls (19%). Although the women with heart disease had a higher rate of maternal and neonatal complications than controls (17%vs 2%, P= 0.015), within the study group, there was no difference in complication rate between the patients who did and did not undergo induction of labour. CONCLUSION: Induction of labour is a relatively safe procedure in women with cardiac disease. It is not associated with a higher rate of caesarean delivery than in healthy women undergoing induction of labour for obstetric indications, or with more maternal and neonatal complications than in women with a milder form of cardiac disease and spontaneous labour.

Pregnancy outcome in women treated with doxorubicin for childhood cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Pregnancy outcome and the effect of pregnancy on cardiac function were assessed in women cured of childhood cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Forty women who received doxorubicin as part of a chemotherapy protocol for a neoplastic disorder in childhood were followed up at the same center during pregnancy and after delivery. RESULTS: Thirty-seven women (72 pregnancies) completed follow-up. Pregnancy outcome was favorable in the 29 women with fractional shortening values of >or=30% before pregnancy, and their myocardial function was sustained. In 8 women with fractional shortening of <30% before pregnancy, pregnancy outcome was less favorable; a 19% decrease in fractional shortening was observed after pregnancy, and this finding was not significant (P=.08). CONCLUSION: Pregnancy outcome in women who received doxorubicin for malignancy in childhood is generally favorable. However, those with baseline left ventricular dysfunction should be considered at increased risk for worse pregnancy outcome and further deterioration in myocardial function.