Experiences of transition to motherhood among pregnant women following assisted reproductive technology: a systematic review protocol of qualitative evidence

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to identify and synthesize available qualitative evidence related to the experiences of transition to motherhood during pregnancy in women who conceived through assisted reproductive technology (ART). INTRODUCTION: Women who conceived through ART experience pregnancy-specific anxiety and paradoxical feelings, and face unique challenges in their identity transition to motherhood. It is important for healthcare professionals working with these women to understand the context and complexity of this special path to parenthood, including the emotional adaptation to pregnancy following ART. A qualitative systematic review can provide the best available evidence to inform development of nursing interventions to meet the needs of pregnant women after ART. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review will consider any qualitative research data from empirical studies published from 1992-2019 in English or Japanese that described experiences of transition to motherhood during pregnancy in women who conceived with ART. METHODS: This review will follow the JBI approach for qualitative systematic reviews. Databases that will be searched for published and unpublished studies include MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ProQuest Health & Medical Collection, Google Scholar and Open Access Theses and Dissertations (in English), and Ichushi-Web, CiNii and the Institutional Repositories Database (in Japanese). Titles and abstracts will be screened by two independent reviewers in full. The full-text of selected studies will be assessed in detail, and findings and their illustrations will be extracted and aggregated. Any disagreements between the reviewers that arise at each stage will be resolved through discussion, or by a third reviewer.