Transition to Parenthood and Marital Satisfaction: A Meta-Analysis.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Meta-analysis of observational longitudinal cohort studies
PubMed 35936242 · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.901362
What was done
A meta-analysis was conducted including 49 studies (comprising 97 parent samples and 9 non-parent samples) to assess trajectories of marital satisfaction across the transition to parenthood. The authors evaluated satisfaction changes from pregnancy to 12 months postpartum and from 12 to 24 months postpartum, examined cross-partner dyadic associations, evaluated potential moderators, and compared parent trajectories with non-parent cohorts.
What was found
The abstract reports categorical effect sizes without exact numerical estimates or confidence intervals. For both genders, marital satisfaction showed a medium decrease between pregnancy and 12 months postpartum, followed by a small decline between 12 and 24 months postpartum. Non-parents also demonstrated a small decline in marital satisfaction over a time frame comparable to the first postpartum year. Dyadic analyses demonstrated cross-partner associations, where a steeper decline in one partner's satisfaction corresponded with a steeper decrease in the other partner's satisfaction.
Why it matters
This review demonstrates that the post-childbirth decrease in relationship satisfaction is not confined to the initial 12 months but extends into the second year postpartum, while highlighting that relationship decline occurs interdependently across partners.
Limits
The abstract reports only qualitative effect tiers (medium vs. small decrease) without providing exact point estimates, variance, or specific moderator statistics. The findings derive from observational longitudinal designs where relationship duration and natural aging confound parental status. Non-parent comparison groups were limited (9 samples versus 97 parent samples).