Effect of Preparation for Maternal Role Program on Self-esteem of Women Undergoing In-vitro Fertilization

Background: Primiparous mothers are likely to lose their sense of value in the absence of maternal skills, and mothers with a history of infertility may suffer from more anxiety and decreased self-esteem than their normal peers do. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a maternal role preparation program on self-esteem of pregnant mothers undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Method: This randomized clinical trial was performed at Royan Institute in 2016. Sixty mothers undergoing IVF were assigned to intervention and control groups. The research instrument was a version of Maternal Self-Report Inventory. Before implementing the preparation program, the questionnaires were completed by both groups; then, the given preparation program was held in four sessions for mothers in the intervention group. Immediately after the completion of the program and one month later, both groups took the test again. To analyze the data, t-test, Chi-squared test, and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) were run in SPSS, version 21. Results: The mean ages of the intervention and control groups were 32.8±4.3 and 31.4±3.9 years, respectively. Repeated measures ANOVA showed no significant intergroup difference in the mean score of maternal self-esteem before the intervention; however, a significant difference was observed one month post-intervention between the intervention and control groups (P<0.001). Implications for Practice: The maternal preparation program could enhance maternal self-esteem. Thus, implementing such programs along with providing other infertility care services could contribute to preparation for assuming maternal role.