Risk factors for social maladaptation in women with assisted pregnancy and the birth of a child with a medical condition

Context and relevance. Features of adaptation in the early postpartum period among women who conceived via assisted reproductive technologies (ART), following the birth of a healthy child or an infant with a medical condition, remain insufficiently studied. Objective. To describe risk factors for social maladaptation at the early stage of accepting the maternal role in women with a complicated reproductive history. Hypothesis. Adaptive capacities of women with a history of impaired reproductive function in the early postpartum period depend on their current psycho-emotional state. They are shaped by attitudes toward the newborn, significant others, and the broader social environment, and are supported by external resources, including social support. Methods and materials. The study included 152 women. The main group comprised 72 women with a history of impaired reproductive function; in 32% of cases, pregnancy resulted in the birth of a child with a medical condition. The control group (conditionally healthy) included 80 women. The following instruments were used: the Clinical Questionnaire for Neurotic States; the Russian-language version of the SCREENIVF screening questionnaire (“Assessment of women’s psycho-emotional state during infertility treatment”); and an adapted version of the Test of the Pregnant Woman’s Attitudes (please ensure the official English name of the method). Statistical analyses included Spearman’s rank correlation, multiple stepwise regression, factor analysis, and the Mann—Whitney U test. Results. Risk factors for maladaptation were identified. In women with assisted pregnancy who gave birth to a healthy child, the strongest predictors of the Asthenia Scale were Anxiety (b* = –0.68), Neurotic Depression Scale (b* = 0.73), and Anxiety Scale (b* = 0.41). When a child with a medical condition was born, the strongest predictors were Autonomic Disorders Scale (b* = 0.47), non-acceptance of one’s diagnosis (b* = –0.28), Anxiety (b* = -0.48), and Helplessness related to infertility (b* = 0.65). Conclusions. Assessing and addressing risk factors plays a key role in predicting successful social adaptation in women during the early postpartum period.