The Origins of the Mother-Child Relationshp-A Review

Abstract

Evidence is mounting that the relationship of a women with her child is initiated during pregnacy as the women begins to develop her maternal role. The nature of this begining relationship, referred to as materanl attachment to the fetus, is reviewed togather with the research into factor which enhance or impede it. Evidence for the continuum and issues of reliability and validity are raised. Areas for further research and the clinical urgency of discovering successful interventions are discussed.