Maternal-fetal attachment during pregnancy following in vitro fertilization

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine the degree of anxiety experienced by pregnant women who had conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF), as well as their attitudes towards the pregnancy and the strength of their attachment to the fetus. Fifteen women who had conceived by IVF were compared with 20 women who had conceived without assistance. Each woman was administered the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Childbearing Attitudes Questionnaire and the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale. While the two groups of expectant mothers did not differ on these measures, a clear relationship was found for all of the women combined between general attitudes towards childbearing and attachment to the fetus, showing that women who are less positive about pregnancy, childbirth and childcare show weaker attachment to their unborn child.