TY - JOUR

T1 - Women’s reflections on timing of motherhood

T2 - a meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence

AU - Temmesen, Camilla Gry

AU - Faber Frandsen, Tove

AU - Svarre-Nielsen, Henriette

AU - Petersen, Kathrine Birch

AU - Clemensen, Jane

AU - Andersen, Heidi Lene Myglegaard

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s).

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Introduction: Fertility declines with increasing age, especially in women. In recent decades women’s age at the birth of their first child has risen markedly in many countries, and an increasing number of women do not establish a family until their late-twenties to mid-thirties. Although there can be various reasons that couples experience fertility problems, advanced maternal age is the most frequent cause for difficulties with achieving pregnancy. Objective: In this meta-synthesis, we investigated reflections on timing of motherhood in women who have not yet had children. Methods: A systematic literature search of six electronic databases and manual searches of reference lists identified eight qualitative studies published between 2011 and 2018 that focused on women’s reflections on timing of motherhood. The studies were assessed with the Critical Assessment Skills Programme (CASP) quality appraisal tool. The results were synthesized using Noblit and Hare’s meta-ethnographic approach as described by Malterud. Findings: An overall theme of ‘Timing of motherhood’ and four overlapping subthemes were identified: Making a life-changing decision, The right time, Fear of regret, and Plan B. The dilemmas associated with timing of motherhood leave women of reproductive age balancing their priorities and values against a biological deadline for having children naturally or through assisted reproductive technology. Conclusions: Women of reproductive age are aware that they must make a life-changing decision as to if or when to have children, but they consider having children at ‘the right time’ to be important. Simultaneously, while some women are reluctant to have children for various reasons, they express fear that waiting too long could result in their regretting not having children later in life. Although women of reproductive age express concern about their ability to achieve pregnancy, they have limited focus on the medical risks associated with postponing motherhood. There is a need to establish preventive health initiatives to support women of reproductive age in their considerations regarding timing of motherhood. Trial registration number: PROSPERO: CRD42020175151.

AB - Introduction: Fertility declines with increasing age, especially in women. In recent decades women’s age at the birth of their first child has risen markedly in many countries, and an increasing number of women do not establish a family until their late-twenties to mid-thirties. Although there can be various reasons that couples experience fertility problems, advanced maternal age is the most frequent cause for difficulties with achieving pregnancy. Objective: In this meta-synthesis, we investigated reflections on timing of motherhood in women who have not yet had children. Methods: A systematic literature search of six electronic databases and manual searches of reference lists identified eight qualitative studies published between 2011 and 2018 that focused on women’s reflections on timing of motherhood. The studies were assessed with the Critical Assessment Skills Programme (CASP) quality appraisal tool. The results were synthesized using Noblit and Hare’s meta-ethnographic approach as described by Malterud. Findings: An overall theme of ‘Timing of motherhood’ and four overlapping subthemes were identified: Making a life-changing decision, The right time, Fear of regret, and Plan B. The dilemmas associated with timing of motherhood leave women of reproductive age balancing their priorities and values against a biological deadline for having children naturally or through assisted reproductive technology. Conclusions: Women of reproductive age are aware that they must make a life-changing decision as to if or when to have children, but they consider having children at ‘the right time’ to be important. Simultaneously, while some women are reluctant to have children for various reasons, they express fear that waiting too long could result in their regretting not having children later in life. Although women of reproductive age express concern about their ability to achieve pregnancy, they have limited focus on the medical risks associated with postponing motherhood. There is a need to establish preventive health initiatives to support women of reproductive age in their considerations regarding timing of motherhood. Trial registration number: PROSPERO: CRD42020175151.

KW - Advanced maternal age

KW - Meta-synthesis

KW - Motherhood

KW - Postponing

KW - Qualitative evidence synthesis

KW - Reproduction

KW - Reproductive age

KW - Systematic review

KW - Timing

KW - Women

U2 - 10.1186/s12978-022-01548-x

DO - 10.1186/s12978-022-01548-x

M3 - Review

C2 - 36755286

AN - SCOPUS:85147723404

VL - 20

JO - Reproductive Health

JF - Reproductive Health

SN - 1742-4755

M1 - 30

ER -