New Trends in Modern Motherhood in the Clinical Aspect

Abstract

Background. In modern clinical and perinatal psychology, there is a growing need to revise maternal trends in the clinical aspect from the perspective of minimizing risk factors for health disorders in the younger generation and improving the demographic situation in the country.

Objectives. To review empirical and theoretical research reflecting the formation of modern trends in motherhood and to analyze the associated possible risks of disruption of a woman's reproductive health and the development of a maladaptive psychoemotional state related to the birth of a child with a disease.

Research methods. The theoretical analysis was conducted using a systematic review of the scientific literature of domestic and international studies covering the period from 2008 to 2025.

Results. This article presents a theoretical review of publications devoted to contemporary trends in motherhood, encompassing the terms "delayed (postponed)" motherhood, "conscious" motherhood, "intensive/extensive" motherhood, and "burdened" motherhood. The author provides definitions of the subjective phenomena of "burdened" motherhood and "intensive" motherhood. Attention is focused on the ambivalence of the consequences of "conscious" motherhood and the potential risks of impaired reproductive potential, the development of neurotic conditions, and emotional burnout in mothers when developing reproductive attitudes toward "delayed" and "intensive" motherhood.

Conclusions. The study of reproductive attitudes and styles of modern motherhood at different stages of the maternal sphere ontogenesis is substantiated as promising, since it allows for identifying the risk factors for mental and physical health in the reproductive-age population, as well as to prevent negative demographic consequences.

References

Adama, E.A., Adua, E., Bayes, S., Mörelius, E. (2021). Support needs of parents in neonatal intensive care unit: An integrative review. Journal of clinical nursing, 31(5–6), 532–547. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15972

Adams, M.K., Byrn, M., Penckofer, S., Bryant, F., Almonte, A. (2021). Expectations of motherhood and quality of life. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 46(2), 70–75. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMC.0000000000000690

Ahn, J.A., Roh, E.H., Kim, T., Lee, J.H., Song, J.E. (2021). Maternal adaptation of working mothers with infants or toddlers in South Korea: A systematic review. BMC Women's Health, 21(1), 213. URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12905-021-01357-7 (accessed: 03.05.2025).

Alves, A.C., Cecatti, J.G., Souza, R.T. (2021). Resilience and stress during pregnancy: A comprehensive multidimensional approach in maternal and perinatal health. The Scientific World Journal, 2021(1), 9512854. URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2021/9512854 (accessed: 03.05.2025).

Andreeva, M.V., Kondaurova, O.P. (2022). Emotional burnout of mothers with infant children. Kazanskii psikhologicheskii zhurnal = Kazan Pedagogical Journal, (5), 236–243. (In Russ.). URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/emotsionalnoe-vygoranie-materey-s-detmi-mladenches-kogo-vozrasta (accessed: 11.05.2025).

Arustamyan, M.A., Avetisyan, L.R., Kotanyan, A.O., Oganyan, M.R., Mardiyan, M.A., Chopikyan, A.S. (2023). Psychological features of mothers of premature and full-term babies. Doktor.Ru = Doctor.Ru, 22(3), 56–60. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.31550/1727-2378-2023-22-3-56-60

Auðardóttir, A.M. (2023). From progressiveness to perfection: Mothers' descriptions of their children in print media, 1970–1979 versus 2010–2019. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 26(2), 212–229. https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494221112445

Blokh, M.Ye., Khomyakova, S.N. (2022). The motives of deferred motherhood. In the Psychology of Stress and Coping Beh * avior: Stability and Variability of Relationships, Personalities, and Groups in an Era of Uncertainty. In: T.L. Kryukova, M.V. Saporovskaya, S.A. Khazova, (eds.). 6th International Scientific Conference (September 22–24, 2022). (pp. 353–358). Kostroma: KSU Publ. (In Russ.)

Blokh, M.Ye., Savenysheva, S.S. (2025). Mental health and features of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period in women of late reproductive age. In: 11th All-Russian Conference Marathon "Perinatal medicine: from pre-pregnancy preparation to healthy motherhood and childhood" and the All-Russian Marathon Workshop "Pediatrics: new challenges in modern realities" (February 13–15, 2025). (pp. 10–11). Moscow: Editorial office of the journal StatusPraesens Publ. (In Russ.)

Christopher, K. (2012). Extensive mothering: Employed mothers' constructions of the good mother. Gender and Society, 26(1), 73–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/0891243211427700

Das, R. (2019). The mediation of childbirth: 'Joyful' birthing and strategies of silencing on a Facebook discussion group. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 22(5–6), 495–510. https://doi.org/10.1177/1367549417722094

Dlamini, L.P., Hsu, Y.Y., Shongwe, M.C., Wang, S.T., Gau, M.L. (2023). Maternal self‐efficacy as a mediator in the relationship between postpartum depression and maternal role competence: A cross‐sectional survey. Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health, 68(4), 499–506. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.13478

Duncan, L.G., Coatsworth, J.D., Greenberg, M.T. (2009). A model of mindful parenting: Implications for parent-child relationships and prevention research. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 12(3), 255–270. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-009-0046-3

Ermolenko, K.S., Radzinskii, V.E., Rapoport, S.I. (2016). State-of-the-art of realization of the fertility potential in the women of late reproductive age. Klinicheskaya meditsina = Clinical Medicine, 94(1), 10–15. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.18821/0023-2149-2016-94-1-10-15

Evmenenko, A.O. (2025). Dynamics of emotional state in mothers of babies born significantly prematurely (28–31 weeks). National Psychological Journal, 20(3), 115–124. https://doi.org/10.11621/npj.2025.0309

Fedorenko, E.Yu., Shteiger, M.V. (2024). Sensitivity and initiative of mother and child as conditions for building joint attention. Sovremennoe doshkol'noe obrazovanie = Preschool Education Today, 18(4), 8–23. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.24412/2782-4519-2024-4124-8-23

Fedorova, Yu.A., Khakhlova, O.N. (2017). Conscious parenting as a psychological and pedagogical phenomenon. Pedagogicheskii zhurnal Bashkortostana = Pedagogical Journal of Bashkortostan, (6), 16–24. (In Russ.). URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/osoznannoe-roditelstvo-kak-psihologo-pedagogicheskiy-fenomen (accessed: 03.05.2025).

Filippova, G.G. (2024). The reproductive component of age identity and the phenomenon of "delayed motherhood". Meditsinskaya psikhologiya v Rossii = Medical Psychology in Russia, 15(2), 12–26. (In Russ.). URL: https://www.mprj.ru/jour/article/view/24 (accessed: 03.05.2025).

Filippova, G.G. (2025). Perinatal and reproductive psychology: history, interrelations, modern problems of theory and practice. In: I.A. Zolotova, (ed.). Modern perinatal psychology in scientific and practical clinical research. (рр. 4–52). Yaroslavl: Avers Plyus Publ. (In Russ.)

Forbes, L.K., Donovan, C., Lamar, M.R. (2020). Differences in intensive parenting attitudes and gender norms among U.S. mothers. The Family Journal, 28(1), 63–71. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480719893964

Göbel, A., Neubüser, L., Stahlke, I., Bindt, C. (2025). Between ideal and reality: intensified motherhood, emotional experience and psychological stresses of mothers. Die Psychotherapie, 70, 161–176. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00278-025-00770-9

Gordeeva, T.O., Nechaeva, D.M., Sychev, O.A. (2024). Parental control and autonomy support during childhood as predictors of students' academic motivation and success. New Ideas in Child and Educational Psychology, (3–4), 69–84. https://doi.org/10.11621/nicep.2024.0410

Grinina, E.S. (2019). Emotional state features in women raising children with developmental disorders. Vestnik RUDN: Seriya: Psikhologiya i pedagogika = RUDN Journal of Psychology and Pedagogics, 16(2), 196–212. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.22363/2313-1683-2019-16-2-196-212

Hays, S. (1996). The cultural contradictions of motherhood. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Il'ina, T.I. (2021). Social and psychological phenomenon of emotional burnout in women on maternity leave. Diss. Cand. Sci. (Psychol.). Saint Petersburg. (In Russ.)

Kim, C.N., Kerr, M.L. (2024). Different patterns of endorsement of intensive mothering beliefs: Associations with parenting guilt and parental burnout. Journal of Family Psychology, 38(7), 1098–1107. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001241

Kletsina, I.S., Ioffe, E.V. (2019). The norms of female beh * avior: traditional and contemporary models. Zhenshchina v rossiiskom obshchestve = Woman in Russian Society, (3), 72–90. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.21064/WinRS.2019.3.6

Kumalasari, D., Gani, I.A.A., Fourianalistyawati, E. (2022). Adaptation and psychometric properties of the Indonesian version of Parental Stress Scale. Jurnal Psikologi Ulayat: Indonesian Journal of Indigenous Psychology, 9(2), 332–353. https://doi.org/10.24854/jpu527

Lāma, E. (2023). Challenging and reproducing the discourse of "intensive mothering" in family magazine "Mans Mazais" (2018–2022). In: L. Daniela, (ed.). Human, technologies and quality of education. (pp. 67–83). Riga: University of Latvia Publ.

Lazzari, E., Potančoková, M., Sobotka, T., Gray, E., Chambers, G.M. (2023). Projecting the contribution of assisted reproductive technology to completed cohort fertility. Population Research and Policy Review, 42, 6. URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11113-023-09765-3 (accessed: 03.05.2025).

Mainland, M., Shaw, S.M., Prier, A. (2017). Parenting in an era of risk: Responding to the obesity crisis. Journal of Family Studies, 23(1), 86–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2015.1090328

Meng, B. (2020). When anxious mothers meet social media: Wechat, motherhood and the imaginary of the good life. Javnost — The Public, 27(2), 171–185. https://doi.org/10.1080/13183222.2020.1727276

Mercer, R.T. (2004). Becoming a mother versus maternal role attainment. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 36(3), 226–232. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1547-5069.2004.04042.x

Milman, D., Sternadori, M. (2024). Medical communication, internalized "good mother" norms, and feminist self-identification as predictors of maternal burnout. Frontiers in Communication, 9, 1265124. URL: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/communication/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2024.1265124/full (accessed: 03.05.2025).

Mirzaasgari, H., Momeni, F., Pourshahbaz, A., Keshavarzi, F., Hatami, M. (2022). The relationship between coping strategies and infertility self-efficacy with pregnancy outcomes of women undergoing in vitro fertilization: A prospective cohort study. International Journal of Reproductive Biomedicine, 20(7), 539–548. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijrm.v20i7.11556

Misiyuk, Yu.V. (2022). Intensive motherhood and its psychological consequences for women. Summ. Diss. Cand. Sci. (Psychol.). Kostroma. (In Russ.)

Misiyuk, Yu.V., Tikhonova, I.V., Khazova, S.A. (2022). Intensive motherhood in the context of parental stress. Voprosy psikhologii = Voprosy Psychologii, 68(3), 71–81. (In Russ.)

Moore, J., Abetz, J.S. (2019). What do parents regret about having children? Communicating regrets online. Journal of Family Issues, 40(3), 390–412. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X18811388

Orton-Johnson, K. (2017). Mummy blogs and representations of motherhood: "Bad mummies" and their readers. Social Media + Society, 3(2). URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2056305117707186 (accessed: 03.05.2025).

Polivanova, K.N. (2015). Parenting and parenthoodas research domains. Psikhologo-pedagogicheskie issledovaniya = Psychological Science and Education psyedu.ru, 7(3), 1–11. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/psyedu.2015070301

Prikhidko, A., Swank, J.M. (2018). Motherhood experiences and expectations: A qualitative exploration of mothers of toddlers. The Family Journal, 26(3), 278–284. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480718795116

Punamäki, R.L., Tiitinen, A., Lindblom, J., Unkila-Kallio, L., Flykt, M., Vänskä, M., Poikkeus, P., Tulppala, M. (2016). Mental health and developmental outcomes for children born after ART: a comparative prospective study on child gender and treatment type. Human Reproduction, 31(1), 100–107. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dev273

Rissanen, E., Gissler, M., Lehti, V., Tiitinen, A. (2020). The risk of psychiatric disorders among Finnish ART and spontaneously conceived children: Finnish population-based register study. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 29(8), 1155–1164. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-019-01433-2

Rizzo, I., Watsford, C. (2020). The relationship between disconfirmed expectations of motherhood, depression, and mother–infant attachment in the postnatal period. Australian Psychologist, 55(6), 686–699. https://doi.org/10.1111/ap.12472

Rizzo, K.M., Schiffrin, H.H., Liss, M. (2013). Insight into the parenthood paradox: Mental health outcomes of intensive mothering. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 22, 614–620. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-012-9615-z

Rudnova, A.N., Kornienko, D.S., Gavrilova, M.N., Glotova, G.A., Shvedchikova, Yu.S. (2024). Parental beliefs as a factor in the cognitive and socio-emotional development of the child. Lomonosov Psychology Journal, 47(2), 134–152. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.11621/LPJ-24-18

Safaralieva, R.A. (2023). Inadequate self-assessment of a child: features of organizing online webinars for parents. Lomonosov Pedagogical Education Journal, (3), 134–149. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.55959/MSU2073-2635-2023-21-3-134-149

Schoppe-Sullivan, S.J., Yavorsky, J.E., Bartholomew, M.K., Sullivan, J.M., Lee, M.A., Kamp Dush, C.M., Glassman, M. (2017). Doing gender online: New mothers' psychological characteristics, Facebook use, and depressive symptoms. Sex Roles, 76, 276–289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-016-0640-z

Semago, M.M., Semago, N.Y., Averina, I.E. (2011). Forming the educational route of a child with disabilities on the PMPC in the resource centre for development of inclusive education. Psikhologicheskaya nauka i obrazovanie = Psychological Science and Education, 16(3), 50–58. (In Russ.). URL: https://psyjournals.ru/en/journals/pse/archive/2011_n3/Semago (accessed: 13.08.2025).

Smirnova, E.G. (2008). Psychological and pedagogical support for the formation of conscious parenting in a young family. Summ. Diss. Cand. Sci. (Psychol.). Kurgan. (In Russ.)

Spiridonov, D.V., Polyakova I.G. (2024). The postponement of childbearing and assisted reproductive technologies: socio-economic and demographic aspects. Mir Rossii = Universe of Russia, 33(3), 75–98. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17323/1811-038X-2024-33-3-75-98

Surkova, K.L., Sergienko, A.A., Zvereva, N.V., Strogova, S.E., Zvereva, M.V. (2025). Neurocognitive and speech development of children conceived with the help of ART, and maternal health (pregnancy, features of the ART procedure). In: I.A. Zolotova, (ed.). Modern perinatal psychology in scientific and practical clinical research. (рр. 157–190). Yaroslavl: Avers Plyus Publ. (In Russ.)

Temkina, A.A. (2014). Medicalization of the reproduction and childbirth: a struggle for control. Zhurnal issledovanii sotsial'noi politiki = Journal of Social Policy Research, 12(3), 321–336. (In Russ.). URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/medikalizatsiya-reproduktsii-i-rodov-borba-za-kontrol (accessed: 03.05.2025).

Tiidenberg, K., Baym, N.K. (2017). Learn it, buy it, work it: Intensive pregnancy on Instagram. Social Media + Society, 3(1). URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2056305116685108 (accessed: 03.05.2025).

Tkacheva, V.V. (2014). Family of a child with disabilities: diagnosis and counseling. Moscow: Natsional'nyy knizhnyy tsentr Publ. (In Russ.)

Ustinova, N.A. (2015). Axiological approach to the formation of conscious motherhood. Pedagogicheskoe obrazovanie v Rossii = Pedagogical Education in Russia, (6), 204–208. (In Russ.). URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/aksiologicheskiy-podhod-k-formirovaniyu-osoznannogo-materinstva (accessed: 03.05.2025).

Zhabchenko, I.A., Suіdmak, O.R. (2019). Features of fecundity for women of senior reproductive age: Problems of the set aside procreation and methods of their correction. Reproduktivnaya meditsina = Reproductive Medicine, (3), 29–36. (In Russ.). URL: https://repromed.kz/index.php/journal/article/view/108 (accessed: 03.05.2025).

Zolotova, I.A. (2024). Neurotic states of women and the features of the attitude towards the newborn in the situation of "burdened" motherhood. Autizm i narusheniya razvitiya = Autism and Developmental Disorders, 22(1), 45–51. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/autdd.2024220106

Zolotova, I.A. (2025). Features of clinical and psychological counseling for women at the birth of a child with a disease in the neonatal period. In: I.A. Zolotova, (ed.). Modern perinatal psychology in scientific and practical clinical research. (pp. 138–156). Yaroslavl: Avers Plyus Publ. (In Russ.)

Zolotova, I.A., Khazova, S.A. (2025). Features of dyadic relationships in the "mother–child" system at the stage of accepting the role of a mother as a risk factor for dysontogenesis in young children. Klinicheskaya i spetsial'naya psikhologiya = Clinical Psychology and Special Education, 14(2), 39–54. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/cpse.2025140203

Zolotova, I.A., Malafeevskaya, I.A. (2023). Psychological profile of a woman with impaired reproductive function in anamnesis. Meditsinskaya psikhologiya v Rossii = Medical Psychology in Russia, 15(2), 27–34. (In Russ.). URL: https://www.mprj.ru/jour/article/view/26 (accessed: 03.05.2025).

Zvereva, N.V., Sergienko, A.A., Strogova, S.E., Zvereva, M.V. (2019). Modern approaches to assessing the cognitive development of children and adolescents born with IVF. Voprosy psikhicheskogo zdorov'ya detei i podrostkov = Mental Health Issues of Children and Adolescents, 19(4), 133–143. (In Russ.)