The potential of VR interventions in developing psychological preparedness for motherhood

The article presents a conceptual model of using virtual reality (VR) interventions to foster psychological readiness for motherhood. Psychological readiness is understood as a dynamic integration of cognitive, affective and behavioral components that is sensitive to individual experience and sociocultural context. Against the background of significant gaps in traditional perinatal education, VR is considered as a medium that combines psychoeducation with emotionally engaging simulations and safe skills training. The paper synthesizes empirical findings on the mechanisms of presence, immersion, embodiment and behavioral simulation, showing how VR scenarios can model childcare, bodily changes, communication with medical staff and partners, and the experience of responsibility for a newborn. Within the proposed three-layer architecture, the technological layer regulates immersion and stimulus dosing, the psychological layer facilitates empathy, self-compassion and tolerance of uncertainty through narratives and guided accompaniment, and the content layer targets birth preparedness, complication readiness and core perinatal anxieties. It is assumed that VR can temporarily reduce state anxiety, open a "learning window" and support the consolidation of more realistic mental models of motherhood, stronger maternal-infant bonding and more confident behavioral patterns. The article outlines the innovative potential, limitations and directions for future randomized studies of VR-based perinatal psychoeducation.