Lu, YuCornell, Carianne2021-05-272021-05-272021-05-14https://hdl.handle.net/11244/330042Advanced maternal age pregnancy occurring at or above age 35, is a growing trend in the United States. Studies have been done to compare both risk factors and birth outcomes between optimal maternal age and advanced maternal age. However, little is known about how the pregnancy experience differs between the two age groups. Additionally, there is a lack of literature that studies the pregnancy experience from the woman’s perspective. This study aims to fill these gaps, examining the pregnancy experience from the woman’s perspective and finding where differences may lie, not only in pregnancy experience but also psychological well-being and coping ability, between optimal maternal age and advanced maternal age. I also examine the relationship between the pregnancy experience and psychological well-being along with the role coping ability plays in the relationship. This cross-sectional study included 225 women age 20-45 (87% white non-Hispanic, 60% college educated, 83% household income above $50,000) who were pregnant or recalling a recent pregnancy. Non-random convenience sampling was utilized to recruit participants who were provided a web link to a Qualtrics survey. The questionnaire included five scales including the Pregnancy Experience Scale, Prenatal Distress Survey, Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Perceived Stress Scale and The Utrecht Coping List-19. Data analysis was completed using SPSS software. According to the results of independent sample t-tests, no significant differences were found in pregnancy experience or coping abilities during pregnancy between optimal maternal age and advanced maternal age. For psychological health, the results show a significant difference in depressive symptoms with advanced maternal age reporting fewer depressive symptoms during pregnancy than optimal maternal age. A regression analysis showed fewer pregnancy uplifts and greater pregnancy hassles were associated with higher levels of stress and depression. In addition, problem focused coping was associated with fewer depressive symptoms among women with high hassle levels during pregnancy, but associated with higher depressive symptoms when the hassle level was low. Based on results of this study, it is necessary to pay attention to the pregnancy experience at advanced maternal age, expanding to diverse demographics. Interventions for improving the pregnancy experience could be utilized to improve psychological well-being during pregnancy. Additionally, interventions to educate women with increased hassle levels how to utilize problem focused coping could help decrease depressive symptoms during pregnancy.Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 InternationalAdvanced Maternal AgePregnancy ExperiencePrenatal Distress