Abstract
Mother's attachment to her unborn child has a strong impact on a pregnant woman's attitude towards her health, postnatal attachment, and the child's physical and emotional growth. The purpose of our study was to identify the factors that impact the maternal-foetal relationship. The study was conducted at the Centre of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the tertiary-level Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos in Vilnius, Lithuania. An original questionnaire of nine parts was developed that the questionnaire included information on demographical data, gynaecological and obstetrical history, a relationship assessment scale, the index of happiness, an antenatal depression risk questionnaire, and the Maternal-Antenatal Attachment Scale. The study included 388 pregnant women. It was found that the level of education, obstetrical issues during pregnancy, and the risk of postnatal depression negatively impacted the maternal-foetal relationship (p < 0.05). Mothers who were elder in family birth order, also those whose pregnancy was of a longer duration, who had a better-quality romantic relationship with partner, and whose socioeconomic fulfilment was higher were all found to have a better quality of maternal-foetal bonding (p < 0.05). The early recognition of low attachment and right application of various means of psychologic intervention might improve the quality of pregnancy, maternity, and childhood.
Highlights
In one of his notable books, the famous American psychiatrist Daniel N
It was found that the level of education, obstetrical issues during pregnancy, and the risk of postnatal depression negatively impacted the maternal-foetal relationship (p < 0.05)
Mothers who were elder in family birth order, those whose pregnancy was of a longer duration, who had a better-quality romantic relationship with partner, and whose socioeconomic fulfilment was higher were all found to have a better quality of maternal-foetal bonding (p < 0.05)
Summary
In one of his notable books, the famous American psychiatrist Daniel N. The maternal deprivation theory founded by the psychoanalyst John Bowlby in 1969 suggested that bonding between mother and child starts to develop before birth [2] It was only in 1976 that Klaus and Kennell popularized the idea of the importance of the maternal-foetal relationship in their book Maternal-Infant Bonding, suggesting that parents should have an immediate relationship with their newborn in the postpartum period [3]. These and other famous studies became a solid base for later researches into prenatal attachment. The purpose of our study was to identify the factors that impact the maternal-foetal relationship
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