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Mehrlingselternschaft nach assistierter Reproduktion

Parents of multiple births after assisted conception

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Summary

BACKGROUND: A major criticism is the increase in multiple pregnancies after ART in the past 30 years and the associated fetal and maternal risks. MATERIAL: Few studies examined the psychosocial risks of the parents of multiple births after ART, for example psychology adjustment, parenting stress, education problems, anxiety, depression, relationship problems or social isolation. RESULTS: The research confirms the psychosocial characteristics after multiple births. In the early postpartum period there is increased risk of depressive disorders. Mothers of twins after ART show a limitation of their psychosocial well-being compared to mothers of singles after ART. DISCUSSION: Higher expectations of parenthood during pregnancy, less sufficiency coping strategies, and consequently, greater parental stress show twin mothers after ART in comparison to twin mothers after nature conception. An interdisciplinary postpartum care services makes sense. However, clinicians should keep attention to potential psychosocial burden of a multiple birth.

Zusammenfassung

HINTERGRUND: Hauptkritikpunkt ist die Zunahme der Mehrlingsschwangerschaften nach Anwendung der assistierten Reproduktion in den rückliegenden 30 Jahren, sowie die damit einhergehenden fetalen und mütterlichen Risiken. METHODE: Nur wenige Studien untersuchen die psychosozialen Risiken der Eltern von Mehrlingen nach ART, beispielsweise den Übergang zur Elternschaft, Erziehungsprobleme, Angst, Depression, Partnerschaftsprobleme oder soziale Isolation. ERGEBNISSE: Bisher vorliegende Untersuchungen bestätigen Besonderheiten in der psychosozialen Befindlichkeit von Mehrlingsmüttern nach ART. In der frühen postpartalen Phase besteht ein erhöhtes Risiko einer depressiven Verstimmung. Mehrlingsmütter nach ART zeigen eine Einschränkung ihres psychosozialen Wohlbefindens gegenüber Einlingsmüttern nach ART. DISKUSSION: Höhere Erwartungen an die Elternschaft in der Schwangerschaft, weniger suffiziente Copingstrategien und damit einhergehend größeren elterlichen Stress zeigen Zwillingsmütter nach ART im Vergleich zu Zwillingsmüttern nach Spontankonzeption. Ein interdisziplinäres postpartales niederschwelliges Betreuungsangebot ist wünschenswert. Handlungsauftrag sollte sein auch vor dem Hintergrund der psychosozialen Auswirkungen Mehrlingsschwangerschaften nach ART zu vermeiden.

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Correspondence to Ingrid Kowalcek.

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Kowalcek, I. Mehrlingselternschaft nach assistierter Reproduktion. Wien Klin Wochenschr 123, 463–467 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-011-0015-y

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