Manifest anxiety and maternal–fetal attachment in pregnant women with previous fetal losses

ABSTRACT

Aim

To explore associations between manifest anxiety (Taylor’s Manifest Anxiety Scale, TMAS), major obstetric and demographic features and maternal-fetal attachment (MFA) (Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale, MAAS) in women with previous miscarriages.

Subjects and methods

One hundred pregnant women with previous miscarriages, having uncomplicated singleton pregnancy, not receiving any medications, and conceived in a natural manner . Ages ranged between 19 and 47 years, gestational age between 4 and 35 weeks. Hierarchical multiple linear regression, Kruskal–Wallis test, and ANCOVA were used in data analysis.

Results

Maternal age, gestational age, previous abortions, parity, maternal education, and marital status in combination contributed significantly to the regression model in prediction of the MAAS quality and intensity scores. Adding the TMAS score accounted for an additional 17% of variation in the MAAS quality score, and the change in R² was significant. There was a negative relationship between the TMAS and the MAAS quality scores. The TMAS score did not contribute to prediction of the MAAS intensity. The highest TMAS values were in the women having anxious, ambivalent or affectless preoccupation.

Conclusion

Prevention of negative consequences of poor quality of MFA in women with previous miscarriages should include early screening for manifest anxiety.

KEYWORDS:

• Gestation
• maternal–fetal attachment
• Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale
• manifest anxiety
• miscarriage

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to acknowledge the support of the undergraduate students for their help in collecting raw data.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).