IMR Press / CEOG / Volume 51 / Issue 3 / DOI: 10.31083/j.ceog5103059
Open Access Original Research
Impact of the Mother's Mental Health and Socioeconomic Status on Prenatal Attachment in a Population-Based Sample of Expectant Romanian Women
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1 Doctoral School, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Timișoara, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
2 Center for Neuropsychology and Behavioral Medicine, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Timișoara, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
3 Department of Neuroscience, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Timișoara, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
4 Center for Social Diagnosis, Faculty of Sociology and Psychology, West University of Timișoara, 300223 Timișoara, Romania
5 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Sociology and Psychology, West University of Timișoara, 300223 Timișoara, Romania
6 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Timișoara, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
7 Ist Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “Pius Brinzeu” County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 300723 Timișoara, Romania
8 Center for Laparoscopy, Laparoscopic Surgery and In Vitro Fertilization, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
9 Clinic of Psychiatry, “Pius Brinzeu” County Clinical Emergency Hospital, 300723 Timișoara, Romania
10 Department of Pediatry, Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Timișoara, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
11 Center for Modeling Biological Systems and Data Analysis, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Timișoara, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
12 Department of Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Timișoara, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
13 Department of Social Work, West University of Timișoara, 300223 Timișoara, Romania
*Correspondence: ciulpan.adrian@umft.ro (Adrian-Bogdan Ciulpan); lacatusu.adrian@umft.ro (Adrian Lăcătușu)
Clin. Exp. Obstet. Gynecol. 2024, 51(3), 59; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.ceog5103059
Submitted: 8 August 2023 | Revised: 29 December 2023 | Accepted: 8 January 2024 | Published: 5 March 2024
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Background: The health development of a baby during pregnancy is greatly influenced by prenatal bonding. The purpose of this study is to assess maternal-fetal attachment in the second- and third-trimesters and explore how the mother’s mental health and socioeconomic circumstances may affect it. Additionally, this study takes into account other relevant aspects, and addresses the existing lack of relevant information in Romania. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study. Data were collected from 200 pregnant women in the second- and third-trimesters of pregnancy. Personal Information Form (PIF), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and Maternal-Foetal Attachment Scale (MFAS) questionnaires were collected. Results: There was no statistically significant correlation between the MFAS and the mental health of the mother. Moreover, subsequent comparative analyses revealed a significant difference only in the case of socio-economic conditions, with women with a moderate socio-economic status showed higher levels of maternal-foetal attachment. Conclusions: The degree of maternal-foetal attachment is not significantly influenced by social characteristics such as age, education level, socio-economic context, or place of residence. The MFAS measured the attachment relationship. However, the study found no statistically significant correlation between the mother’s mental health and this attachment.

Keywords
prenatal
materno-foetal attachment
depression
anxiety
stress
mental health
pregnancy
socio-economic
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