Motherhood and Femininity: The Impact of Motherhood on The Construction of Female Identity, Social Expectations, and Professional Life: A Sociological Analysis

Background: Motherhood remains one of the most significant experiences in women's lives and has historically been closely associated with the social construction of femininity. Despite the profound social, cultural, and political transformations of recent decades, societal discourses and expectations continue to associate female fulfilment with motherhood. Understanding how women currently interpret the relationship between motherhood and femininity is therefore of considerable relevance. This article explores the cultural meanings attached to motherhood and examines their influence on the construction of femininity. Historically, motherhood and femininity have been shaped as interdependent social categories, deeply rooted in cultural, religious, and biomedical discourses. Drawing on sociological theory and an in-depth interview, this study offers a contemporary sociological perspective on these issues.

Objective: To critically examine the cultural significance of motherhood and its influence on the construction of femininity in contemporary societies, exploring its personal, social, and professional implications.

Materials and Methods: A qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory study was conducted using a narrative literature review alongside a semi-structured interview with a 38-year-old married woman living in the Autonomous Region of the Azores (Portugal), who is the mother of a three-year-old child. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis.

Results: Four major themes emerged from the analysis: motherhood as a choice rather than a predetermined destiny; the transformation of female identity; the tension between societal expectations and lived maternal experiences; and the impact of motherhood on professional life. The participant described motherhood as a transformative experience that fostered personal growth and the redefinition of life priorities while also presenting challenges related to autonomy, sociocultural expectations, and the reconciliation of family and professional responsibilities.

The findings further highlighted the social devaluation of women beyond their maternal role, the disproportionate number of women leaving the workforce because of motherhood, and persistent gender inequalities within the labour market.

Conclusion: Motherhood continues to play a significant role in the construction of female identity. However, contemporary women increasingly assert their autonomy in defining their own life trajectories and the meanings they attribute to femininity. Strengthening policies that support parenthood, promote gender equality, and facilitate work-family balance may contribute substantially to maternal well-being.

From a sociological perspective, motherhood extends beyond its biological and individual dimensions, constituting a social institution shaped by historical, cultural, and political influences. Likewise, femininity is understood as a socially constructed concept, influenced by norms and expectations that have historically associated womanhood with motherhood. This association has been reinforced by religious, biomedical, and sociocultural discourses, contributing to the naturalisation of caregiving as an inherent feminine attribute.

For centuries, motherhood was regarded as women's social destiny and the primary expression of femininity (Emidio, 2023). In Western societies, women's roles were predominantly linked to family caregiving, child-rearing, and the management of domestic life, supported by narratives that legitimised an assumed natural vocation for motherhood and caregiving (Santos, 2022). Consequently, motherhood became an important marker of social legitimacy and female fulfilment, whereas childlessness was frequently subject to social stigma.

Profound social changes over recent decades have substantially reshaped this perspective. Increased female participation in education and the labour market, wider access to contraception, and the influence of feminist movements have contributed to a reconfiguration of gender roles and of femininity itself (Costa, 2018; Emidio, 2023). Within this context, Simone de Beauvoir's seminal work The Second Sex represented a turning point in challenging the notion that female identity is biologically determined, arguing instead that womanhood is primarily constructed through historical and sociocultural processes (Emidio, 2023).

Today, although motherhood continues to be highly valued, multiple ways of experiencing femininity coexist. The decision to have-or not to have-children is increasingly recognised as a legitimate expression of women's autonomy (Santos et al., 2024). Nevertheless, persistent social expectations continue to promote the ideal of the mother who is permanently available, emotionally fulfilled, and wholly devoted to her children, while simultaneously expecting women to achieve professional success and conform to socially valued standards of performance and appearance. The accumulation of these often-competing demands may contribute to experiences of overload, guilt, and identity conflict (Costa, 2018; Estrela et al., 2018).

Although contemporary literature acknowledges the growing diversity of women's life trajectories, important challenges remain regarding the influence of sociocultural norms on the construction of female identity and on the experience of motherhood. Against this background, the present study seeks to explore how motherhood influences perceptions of femininity by examining one woman's lived experiences across the personal, social, and professional dimensions of motherhood.

Study Design

This study adopted a qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory design, combining a narrative literature review with a sociological case study.

Literature Review

The literature search was conducted using the EBSCOhost platform, including the MEDLINE, CINAHL, Nursing & Allied Health Collection, and MedicLatina databases. Studies published between 2000 and 2024 in Portuguese were included, as they provided an appropriate framework for understanding both the historical development and the contemporary evolution of the concepts of motherhood and femininity. A total of six studies met the inclusion criteria: one published in 2000 and the remaining studies between 2018 and 2024, enabling comparisons between historical and contemporary perspectives.

Participant and Data Collection

To complement the literature review, a semi-structured interview was conducted with a 38-year-old married woman living in the Autonomous Region of the Azores (Portugal). She had been married for 11 years, was the mother of a three-year-old child, and was self-employed at the time of the interview.

The participant was purposively selected to provide an in-depth understanding of the relationship between motherhood and femininity within a specific sociocultural context.

The interview consisted of eleven open-ended questions organised into four thematic domains:

• Concepts of motherhood and femininity; 
• Personal experiences of motherhood; 
• The influence of sociocultural expectations; 
• The impact of motherhood on professional life. 

Before data collection, the participant received detailed information regarding the study objectives and provided informed consent to participate.

Data Analysis

Interview data were analysed using thematic content analysis, allowing the identification of recurring patterns of meaning and the development of themes related to the construction of female identity, representations of motherhood, and their personal, social, and professional implications.

Ethical Considerations

The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Voluntary participation, confidentiality, participant anonymity, and the exclusive use of the collected information for academic and scientific purposes were ensured throughout the study.

The thematic analysis identified four overarching themes that illustrate the participant's perceptions of the relationship between motherhood and femininity: (1) motherhood as a choice rather than a predetermined destiny; (2) the transformation of female identity; (3) the tension between societal ideals of motherhood and lived experience; and (4) the impact of motherhood on professional life.

Motherhood as a Choice and the Construction of Meaning

The participant described motherhood as a conscious and freely made decision that formed an integral part of her life project.

She defined motherhood as follows:

"Motherhood is about being able to create life. It is about living in a constant state of commitment from the moment our children are conceived. It is about choosing and giving life a different meaning. Ultimately, I would describe it as a chosen condition."

This perspective departs from the traditional view of motherhood as an inevitable destiny, highlighting instead the value placed on women's autonomy in shaping their own life trajectories.

When reflecting on femininity, the participant stated:

"It is about my condition as a woman-a condition that society has attributed to me, but one that I have also developed throughout my life. It is about what characterises me and what defines who I am."

Femininity therefore emerged as a dynamic identity constructed throughout life, in which motherhood represents an important, although not exclusive, dimension.

Transformation of Female Identity

Motherhood was identified as a profoundly transformative experience that reshaped the participant's personal identity.

According to the participant:

"Choosing motherhood changed my understanding of femininity, and motherhood enriched my femininity by giving it greater meaning and direction."

Motherhood was associated with increased emotional maturity, resilience, and the ability to redefine life priorities.

This transformative experience was further illustrated when she explained:

"Once I allowed myself to embrace this experience, it became profoundly transformative."

The participant also described how motherhood had influenced the way she approached both personal and professional challenges:

"Since becoming a mother, I know I can become whoever I want to be, but now I have to achieve it differently-and better."

In addition, she emphasised the sense of fulfilment associated with motherhood:

"I have the freedom to choose what is best for my family's happiness, and motherhood has given me that autonomy."

Between the Social Idealisation of Motherhood and Lived Reality

The participant highlighted a clear discrepancy between the socially idealised image of motherhood and women's everyday experiences.

In her words:

"A narrative has been created in which motherhood is portrayed as beautiful and perfect, yet this often bears little resemblance to the real challenges women have to overcome."

When describing the postpartum period, she expressed feelings of ambivalence:

"I constantly felt torn between believing that I had to be the one caring for my child and feeling that this responsibility confined and limited me."

She also acknowledged that many women avoid speaking openly about these experiences because they fear social judgement:

"Many women are unable to speak openly about these feelings because they fear being judged or having their role as mothers questioned."

Regarding the influence of social media, she observed:

"Social media impose enormous pressure by presenting motherhood as something effortless, superficial, and perfect."

The Impact of Motherhood on Professional Life

The professional domain emerged as the area in which motherhood had produced the greatest changes.

As the participant explained:

"This was probably the aspect of my life that was most profoundly affected."

Following the birth of her son, she chose to temporarily interrupt her professional career:

"My husband and I decided that I would take a break from my professional life so that I could devote myself to our son's early years."

Although this decision involved financial consequences, she perceived it as an investment in her child's development.

At the same time, motherhood also became a catalyst for new professional opportunities.

As she explained:

"Motherhood has brought creativity and happiness into my professional life."

During this period, she developed a new entrepreneurial project:

"That was when Azores Flowers was born, which is now my professional activity."

Finally, the participant emphasised the importance of strengthening family support policies:

"Parental leave should be longer and fully paid."

The findings of this study indicate that motherhood continues to play a central role in the construction of female identity. However, rather than being perceived as an inevitable social destiny, it is increasingly understood as a personal and autonomous choice. This perspective reflects the broader social transformations that have taken place in contemporary societies, where reproductive autonomy and the diversity of women's life trajectories have progressively challenged traditional conceptions of femininity (Emidio, 2023; Santos et al., 2024).

The participant described motherhood as a voluntary and meaningful experience that was fully integrated into her personal life project. This perception contrasts with the historically dominant view that regarded motherhood as the primary source of female fulfilment and as a defining element of womanhood (Santos, 2022). The emphasis placed on individual choice is consistent with contemporary literature, which recognises motherhood as one of several legitimate pathways through which women may construct their identities, rather than as a universal expectation (Santos et al., 2024).

Another important finding concerns the influence of motherhood on the construction of female identity. The participant described motherhood as a catalyst for emotional maturity, resilience, and the redefinition of life priorities, attributing an important role to this experience in her personal development. These findings are consistent with those reported by Estrela et al. (2018), who describe motherhood as a simultaneously transformative and demanding process characterised by personal growth, fulfilment, and continuous adaptation.

Nevertheless, the participant's account also revealed the coexistence of ambivalent emotions. Motherhood was experienced as a constant negotiation between the desire to care for one's child and the need to preserve personal autonomy. Such ambivalence remains largely absent from dominant social narratives, which frequently portray motherhood as an exclusively rewarding experience. As highlighted by Costa (2018), the idealisation of motherhood contributes to unrealistic expectations that may generate feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and emotional overload.

The influence of social media also emerged as a relevant finding. According to the participant, digital platforms tend to promote idealised representations of motherhood characterised by perfection and the absence of difficulties, reinforcing normative expectations that often fail to reflect women's everyday realities. This observation is consistent with previous research identifying social media as powerful agents in the reproduction of cultural norms and maternal comparisons, with potential consequences for psychological well-being (Costa, 2018).

Regarding professional life, the findings demonstrate that motherhood continues to exert a substantial influence on women's careers. The participant's temporary withdrawal from paid employment reflects a reality widely documented in the literature, whereby caregiving responsibilities remain disproportionately assumed by women (Santos, 2022). These inequalities frequently translate into slower career progression, reduced income, and lower participation in the labour market.

Despite these challenges, the present findings also reveal the positive potential of motherhood. The participant's development of a new entrepreneurial project during the period dedicated to raising her child illustrates how motherhood may also foster creativity, innovation, and the redefinition of professional aspirations. This finding highlights the importance of recognising motherhood as a complex and multidimensional experience whose consequences extend beyond the difficulties commonly emphasised in the literature.

Overall, the findings suggest that motherhood and femininity remain closely interconnected within contemporary social representations. However, they also demonstrate an increasing recognition of women's autonomy in defining their own life trajectories. Motherhood should therefore be understood not as a prerequisite for female fulfilment but as one of many possible experiences through which women construct meaning within their personal, social, and cultural contexts.

Implications for Clinical Practice

The findings highlight the importance of adopting a biopsychosocial approach to the care provided to women throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Healthcare professionals, particularly specialist nurses in maternal and obstetric health, should acknowledge the diversity of maternal experiences and avoid normative assumptions that portray motherhood as a universally positive or homogeneous experience.

Creating safe environments in which women feel able to express doubts, ambivalent feelings, and emotional difficulties may facilitate a healthier transition to parenthood while promoting maternal mental health. Furthermore, healthcare professionals should actively encourage shared parenting practices and advocate for a more equitable distribution of family responsibilities, thereby contributing to greater gender equality.

Study Limitations

This study has limitations inherent to its qualitative design and the inclusion of a single participant, precluding the generalisation of its findings. Nevertheless, the depth of the interview provided valuable insights into the relationship between motherhood and femininity within a specific sociocultural context.

Future research should include more diverse samples encompassing different cultural settings, age groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, and family configurations in order to deepen understanding of how female identity is constructed through experiences of motherhood across different contexts.

Motherhood continues to represent an important dimension in the construction of female identity, although it is now experienced in a more diverse and autonomous manner than suggested by traditional conceptions. The findings indicate that motherhood may simultaneously represent a source of personal fulfilment, growth, identity transformation, and the redefinition of life projects, while also involving challenges related to sociocultural expectations, work-family reconciliation, and persistent gender inequalities.

The analysis further demonstrates that femininity should not be regarded as a condition dependent upon motherhood. Rather, both femininity and motherhood are dynamic and socially constructed experiences whose meanings are shaped by each woman's cultural, social, and biographical context.

These findings reinforce the need for public policies and healthcare practices that are sensitive to gender issues, support women's reproductive autonomy, promote shared parenting, and reduce inequalities associated with caregiving responsibilities.

From a sociological perspective, this study contributes to a broader understanding of motherhood as a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, highlighting the importance of integrating sociocultural determinants into both research and clinical practice. Recognising the diversity of maternal experiences is essential for the development of more inclusive, person-centred healthcare that promotes equity and respects women's individual life choices.