Relationship between prenatal and maternal attachment: a longitudinal study from Turkey

Abstract

The healthy development of the attachment which starts in the prenatal period and continues after the birth strengthens, positively supports the newborn care and contributes to raising healthy individuals in the future. This study was carried out to determine the effect of mother-fetus attachment that develops during pregnancy on mother-infant attachment in the postpartum period. This descriptive, correlational and longitudinal study was conducted with 150 volunteer mothers who could be reached again within 1–4 months after birth. Data were collected by the Questionnaire Form, the Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI) and the Maternal Attachment Scale (MAS). When the relationship between participants' PAI (41.20 ± 11.35) and MAS (26.05 ± 5.13) point averages was examined, it was observed that there was a weak, positive and statistically significant relationship between the two scales (r = 0.304, p=.000). It was observed that there was a relationship between the attachment between pregnant woman and developing fetus and the maternal attachment in the postnatal period.

Impact statement

• What is already known on this subject? Attachment is a process which is formed by an interaction between the mother and the infant that is satisfying and enjoyed by both sides. It provides a basis for the establishment of relationships of the infant with the outside world and for the psychological development of the infant.

• What the results of this study add? This study has shown that a strong and healthy establishment of attachment in the prenatal period will positively contribute to the mother-infant attachment process in the postnatal period. A strong and healthy establishment of attachment in the prenatal period will positively contribute to the mother-infant attachment process in the postnatal period.

• What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Mother-infant attachment can be strengthened just before the baby is born by determining the prenatal attachment and providing the appropriate approach to those who identify the problems in this regard, and thus, the risk of neglect and exploitation of the baby can be reduced and also the problems such as breastfeeding of the baby after birth, receiving proper care, and postnatal depression in the mother can even be reduced.

Keywords:

• Mother
• newborn
• pregnancy
• prenatal and maternal attachment

Ethical approval

The procedures of the study received ethics approval from the “Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine Ethics Committee” (Approval number: 71522473/050.01.04/115).

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the women who participate in the study. This project did not have external financing.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s). All authors have seen and approved the final version of the manuscript being submitted. They warrant that the article is the authors’ original work and isn’t under consideration for publication elsewhere.

Author contributions

N.Ç. and H.U.Y. contributed to the conception and design of this study; S.Y.Ç. and S.T. performed all data collections and analyses, and wrote the manuscript; H.U.Y., S.Y.Ç. and S.T. contributed to the conception of this study and coordinated with research facilities or participants; N.Ç. and H.U.Y. critically reviewed the manuscript and supervised the whole study process. All authors revised the manuscript and approved the final version.