Transition to parenthood and quality of parenting among gay, lesbian and heterosexual couples who conceived through assisted reproduction

Tools

Rubio, B., Vecho, O., Gross, M., Van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Bos, H., Ellis-Davies, K. ORCID: 0000-0002-3835-6438, Winstanley, A., Golombok, S. and Lamb, M.E., 2017. Transition to parenthood and quality of parenting among gay, lesbian and heterosexual couples who conceived through assisted reproduction. Journal of Family Studies. ISSN 1322-9400

Preview

Text
PubSub9975_Ellis-Davies.pdf - Post-print
Download (490kB) | Preview

Official URL: http://doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2017.1413005

Abstract

Little research has focused on the emotions felt during pregnancy and early parenthood as well as the initial quality of parenting displayed by first-time parents who conceived using assisted reproduction technologies (surrogacy, donor insemination, and in vitro fertilization). Research on primary and secondary caregivers in gay, lesbian, and heterosexual families is especially sparse. The current study examined 35 gay-father families, 58 lesbian-mother families and 41 heterosexual-parent families with their infants. Families were assessed at home when their infants were 4 months old (±14 days), and each parent participated in an audio-recorded standardized semi-structured interview in which we explored parental feelings during pregnancy, feelings about the parental role, perceived parental competence, the enjoyment of parenthood, expressed warmth and emotional over-involvement of parents. 13 Heterosexual parents reported less positive feelings in early pregnancy than lesbian parents, while gay parents reported less positive feelings at the end of pregnancy than lesbian mothers and more positive feelings about parenthood during the first post-partum weeks than heterosexual parents. There was no interaction between family type and caregiver role on reported feelings, or on perceived competence, enjoyment, warmth, and involvement. The present findings elucidate the transition to parenthood among first-time parents conceiving through assisted reproductive technologies, and especially contribute to our knowledge about gay fathers who became parents through surrogacy.

Item Type:

Journal article

Publication Title:

Journal of Family Studies

Creators:

Rubio, B., Vecho, O., Gross, M., Van Rijn-van Gelderen, L., Bos, H., Ellis-Davies, K., Winstanley, A., Golombok, S. and Lamb, M.E.

Publisher:

Taylor & Francis

Date:

12 December 2017

ISSN:

1322-9400