Effect of counseling on maternal-fetal attachment in women with unplanned pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Since the maternal-fetal attachment level in unplanned pregnancies is weaker than their planned counterparts, this study aimed to determine the effect of counselling on maternal-fetal attachment in women with unplanned pregnancy.

Methods: This was a randomised controlled clinical trial on pregnant women with unplanned pregnancy and weak-average maternal-fetal attachment scores. Participants were assigned to a control (n = 40) and an intervention (n = 40) group through randomised blocking. The intervention group attended 1–3 individual and 6 group counselling sessions and the control group received routine care. The participants completed the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale before and four weeks after the intervention.

Results: The mean (standard deviation) maternal-fetal attachment score of the intervention group was increased from 73.6 (8.9) before the intervention to 96.6 (9.3) after the intervention. However, the mean (standard deviation) maternal-fetal attachment scores of the control group were 76.0 (9.4) and 76.5 (6.4) before and after the intervention, respectively. The mean maternal-fetal attachment score of the counselling group was significantly higher than that of the control group (adjusted mean difference: 21.7; 95% confidence interval: 18.6 to 24.9; P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Counseling has a positive contribution to improving maternal-fetal attachment in women with unplanned pregnancies.

KEYWORDS:

• Maternal-fetal attachment
• unplanned pregnancy
• unwanted
• mistimed

Acknowledgments

The researcher hereby expresses her gratitude to the Department of Research and Technology in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil Department of Research and Technology, Ardabil Department of Health, all involved health-care centres, clinics and their staff, and the women who participated in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was founded by the Research DEputy of Tabriz University of Medical sciences [grant number.tbzmed.rec.1395.1104].