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Antenatal maternal depressive mood and parental–fetal attachment at the end of pregnancy

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Abstract

The present study investigates if mothers and fathers have similar ways of thinking and feeling about their babies during late pregnancy and how aspects of parental–fetal attachment are related to maternal depressive mood. Two hundred and ninety-eight Swedish-speaking women at 30–32 weeks of gestation and partners (n = 274) participated in the study. Socio-demographic background data were collected. Prenatal attachment was assessed with the maternal/paternal–fetal attachment scale (MFA/PFA), and depressive symptoms were assessed by the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS). MFA and PFA scores mirrored each other. After factor analysis, five different factors loaded somewhat differently for men were revealed as significant. These factors were (I) concerns about the fetus and health behavior, (II) mental preparation to take care of the unborn child, (III) experiences of pregnancy, (IV) experiences of fetal movements, and (V) naming of the baby. Factors III and IV were related to depressive symptoms. Mothers with slight depressive symptoms were somewhat less positive about the pregnancy but showed more attention to the fetal movements. Midwives should conduct interviews on the women’s psychosocial history and use validated instruments, which may help them to identify problems with the psychosocial health of the mother and her partner as they journey through pregnancy and transition to parenthood.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the following institutions for their financial support: Centre for Caring Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, and the Swedish Council for Planning and Coordination of Research. The authors are most grateful to the project director for the longitudinal study, Wendela Lundh, and to Ann-Sofi Matthiesen for her statistical support. We also wish to thank the women and their partners who agreed to take part in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Woman and Child Health, Karolinska Institutet, Retzius väg 13 A-B, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden

    Louise Seimyr, Berit Sjögren, Barbara Welles-Nyström & Eva Nissen

  2. School of Life Science, University of Skovde, Skovde, Sweden

    Eva Nissen

Authors
  1. Louise Seimyr
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  2. Berit Sjögren
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  3. Barbara Welles-Nyström
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  4. Eva Nissen
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Correspondence to Louise Seimyr.

Additional information

This study is dedicated to Dr. Berit Sjögren, who unfortunately died before this paper was completed. We have tried to remain true to her professional research intentions and to her passionate commitment to women’s well-being and bio-psycho-social health.

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Seimyr, L., Sjögren, B., Welles-Nyström, B. et al. Antenatal maternal depressive mood and parental–fetal attachment at the end of pregnancy. Arch Womens Ment Health 12, 269–279 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-009-0079-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-009-0079-0

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