Effects Of Postnatal Educational Intervention For Husbands On Maternal Role Adaptation

Abstract

Background: The transition to motherhood is a profound and transformative experience that involves a multitude of physical, emotional, and social changes for women. Central to this transition is the process of maternal role adaptation, whereby women adjust to their new identity as mothers and navigate the challenges of caring for their newborns.

Objectives: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a postnatal educational intervention for husbands in improving maternal role adaptation among postpartum women by comparing adaptation levels between mothers whose husbands received the intervention and those whose husbands did not.

Methodology: A quasi-experimental study was conducted at Lady Willingdon Hospital, Lahore, to assess the effectiveness of a 12-week postnatal educational intervention for husbands on maternal role adaptation. Fifty couples (25 in the experimental group, 25 in the control group) were recruited using purposive sampling. Husbands in the experimental group received the intervention, while the control group received routine care. The intervention consisted of four structured sessions delivered twice weekly. Data was analyzed using SPSS Version 25.

Results: The study included 50 husbands and their wives to assess the impact of a nurse-led postnatal educational intervention. Most husbands were aged 31–40 years (42%), with 64% having an age gap of 1–5 years with their wives; 43% were laborers, and 28% had primary education. Among wives, 84% were aged 18–35 years, 30% had primary education, and 48% were housewives, with 62% living in joint families. Pre-intervention findings showed low knowledge of postnatal care in both groups, with 88% in the experimental group and 68% in the control group having poor knowledge. Post-intervention, 44% of the experimental group achieved good knowledge, and none remained in the poor category, whereas the control group showed minimal improvement. These findings indicate that the educational intervention effectively enhanced husbands’ knowledge and positively influenced maternal role adaptation.

Conclusion: The nurse-led educational intervention significantly improved husbands’ knowledge of postnatal care and positively influenced maternal role adaptation in their wives. These findings highlight the effectiveness of involving husbands in postpartum education to enhance maternal well-being.