An investigation of the relationship between pregnant women's maternity role perceptions and marital adjustment

The research was carried out in a descriptive type to explore the relationship between pregnant women's maternity role perceptions and marital adjustment. The population of the study consisted of pregnant women who were admitted to Karadeniz Technical University Farabi Hospital Obstetrics Polyclinic. The sample size was calculated as 452 pregnant women, using the G power program according to the sampling from an infinite population, with correlation=0.2, α=0.01, and power (1-β)=0.95. The data were collected with the Descriptive Information Form, the Semantic Differential Scale-Myself as a Mother Scale, and the Marital Adjustment Scale. Percentage, mean, Student t-test, Analysis of Variance, Pearson correlation, Mann Whitney U test, and logistic and multiple linear regression analysis were used to evaluate the data. The mean age of pregnant women was 29.25±4.88, mean gestational week was 29.20±5.95, mean number of pregnancies was 1.88±1.05, and mean duration of marriage was 5.21±4.29. The myself as a mother (maternity role perception) scale total score was 60.64±8.48, and the total mean score of the marital adjustment scale was 46.04±8.51. The rate of marital adjustment was found to be 70.4%, and marital maladjustment was 29.6%. A positive correlation was found between the mean scores of the marital adjustment scale and the myself as a mother scale (r=0.288, p=0,000). It was seen that each "one unit" increase in the myself as a mother scale increased the marital adjustment 1.044 times. The marital adjustment during pregnancy was found to be 3.88 times higher for those who perceived their mental health as "good" during pregnancy, and 2.66 times more in those who perceived the support of mother-in-law, father-in-law, etc. as "good" (respectively OR= 3.88, p= 0.036; OR= 2.66, p= 0.015). In conclusion, a positive relationship was found between women's maternity role perceptions and marital adjustment. To increase pregnant women's maternity role perceptions and marital adjustment, midwives and nurses should provide reproductive health services such as family counseling, marriage counseling, preconception, and antenatal care to women and their spouses in a timely and qualified manner.