Marriage on the Path to Motherhood: Silent Indicators of Adjustment During Pregnancy

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This study aims to identify the factors influencing marital adjustment among pregnant women and to provide a scientific basis for interventions that promote family stability and maternal health, including couple -focused counseling, training programs that strengthen communication and problem-solving skills, prenatal initiatives that enhance partner involvement, and psychosocial monitoring.A descriptive research design was used.The study sample consisted of volunteer pregnant women admitted to the Obstetri cs and Gynecology outpatient clinics of a hospital in eastern.Sociodemographic Data Form and Near East Marital Adjustment Scale (NEMAS) were used for data collection.The study was completed with 370 pregnant women.In the analyses, parametric methods including Pearson and Spearman's rho correlation tests, the Student t -test, and ANOVA (F-test) were employed, and a multiple linear regression analysis was additionally conducted.Regression/decision tree analysis was performed with CHAID method.The total NEMAS score was found to be 120.6.The analyses indicated that the NEMAS scores of pregnant women varied significantly across several demographic, social, and obstetric characteristics.A statistically significant difference was f ound between all sub-dimensions and total scores of the NEMAS according to age, working status, marriage type, number of children, previous stillbirth, gravidity, pregnancy planning status and gestational week (p<0.01).A statistically significant differen ce was found between the sub-dimensions of Marital Satisfaction (MS), Marital Communication (MC), Marital Empathy (ME) and the total scores of the NEMAS according to educational level and duration of marriage (p<0.01).According to family type, a statistically significant difference was found between the scores of pregnant women in the sub -dimension of Relationships with Families (FR)" (p<0.05).Nurses are in a unique position to assess and monitor marital adjustment as part of routine prenatal care.Integrating marit al and emotional well-being into antenatal care not only improves the health of pregnant women, but also contributes to family stability and better outcomes for both mothers and babies.