Impact of clinical factors and personality on the decision to have a second child. Longitudinal cohort‐study of first‐time mothers. (18th December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Klint Carlander, Anna‐Karin; Andolf, Ellika; Edman, Gunnar; Wiklund, Ingela
• Is Part Of: Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica. Volume 93:Number 2(2014)
• Page Start: 182
• Page End: 188
• Publication Date: 2013-12-18
• Subjects: Gynecology -- Periodicals; Pregnancy -- Periodicals; Obstetrics -- Periodicals; 618.05
• DOI: 10.1111/aogs.12306
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-6349

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="aogs12306-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="aogs12306-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>To investigate which factors related to the first birth influence subsequent reproduction within 5 years after the birth.</p> </sec> <sec id="aogs12306-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Design</title> <p>Prospective cohort study.</p> </sec> <sec id="aogs12306-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Setting</title> <p>University hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.</p> </sec> <sec id="aogs12306-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Sample</title> <p>Cohort of 547 first‐time singleton mothers with a normal pregnancy recruited prospectively of whom 451 women consented to follow‐up 5 years later.</p> </sec> <sec id="aogs12306-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Data were collected by several questionnaires on sexual, reproductive and childbirth‐related factors as well as on personality, postnatal depression, fear of childbirth and contact between mother/child. Medical records were also used. Associations between these factors and having a second child were analyzed using logistic regression.</p> </sec> <sec id="aogs12306-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Main outcome measures</title> <p>Women's subsequent reproduction.</p> </sec> <sec id="aogs12306-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Planning a second child at 9 months postpartum was most important in determining to have a second child. Women who had restored their sex life 9 months after birth and women who had a high score in the personality monotony avoidance scale, were less likely to give birth to a second child. No differences were observed regarding mode of delivery, factors related to birth and having a second child, nor was there an association between postnatal depression, fear of childbirth, a negative birth experience and self‐estimated contact with the child and subsequent reproduction.</p> </sec> <sec id="aogs12306-sec-0008" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Circumstances in relation to the first birth, such as mode of delivery and a negative birth experience, did not affect subsequent reproduction. Planning another child by 9 months after birth was the strongest factor correlated with having a second child.</p> </sec> </abstract>