Mentors offering maternal support: a support intervention for military mothers.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of the Mentors Offering Maternal Support (MOMS) program to promote maternal fetal attachment, maternal adaptation to pregnancy, self-esteem, and perceived community support in women within a military environment.

DESIGN

A randomized, controlled, repeated measured pilot study compared two groups of pregnant military wives, a control group receiving standard prenatal care and an intervention group receiving a structured eight-session MOMS program.

SETTING

The study was conducted at two Air Force installations in Florida having joint (Air Force, Army, and Navy) operations and high deployment requirements.

PARTICIPANTS

Sixty-five military wives in their first trimester of pregnancy (control group, n = 36 and intervention group, n = 29) completed all aspects of the study.

METHODS

Women randomized to the MOMS program received eight structured classes starting in the first trimester of pregnancy and occurring every other week until the third trimester. Outcome measures were obtained in each trimester. The women in the control group received usual prenatal care.

RESULTS

No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups for any of the outcome variables. The interaction of the amount of contact the women had with their deployed husbands and group assignment was statistically different for two variables, the Relationship with Husband Scale and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory.