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Prenatal expectations and other psycho‐social factors as risk factors of postnatal bonding disturbance
Author(s) -
Rusanen Erja,
Vierikko Elina,
Kojo Tiina,
Lahikainen Anja Riitta,
Pölkki Pirjo,
Paavonen E. Juulia
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
infant mental health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1097-0355
pISSN - 0163-9641
DOI - 10.1002/imhj.21941
Subject(s) - pregnancy , anxiety , logistic regression , medicine , depression (economics) , postpartum depression , disturbance (geology) , social support , obstetrics , psychology , pediatrics , psychiatry , social psychology , paleontology , biology , genetics , macroeconomics , economics
The mother's bond to her baby starts to develop during pregnancy, and it is related to the baby's attachment. We study how the mother's prenatal expectations of her unborn baby, the mother's adult relationships, and postnatal psycho‐social factors (stress, depression, and anxiety) are related to the risk of bonding disturbance. The study comprised 1398 mothers and their unborn babies assessed both during pregnancy and when the babies were 3 months old (47.7% girls). The mother's risk of bonding disturbance was investigated using Brockington's Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire. According to the results, 71 (5.1%) of all the mothers in the study had a risk of a bonding disturbance. In a final adjusted logistic regression model, the most important risk factors were the mother's inability to form positive expectations about relationships with the baby during the third trimester of pregnancy ( AOR = 7.78, p ≤ .001), maternal postnatal stress ( AOR = 4.95, p ≤ .001) and maternal postnatal depression ( AOR = 3.46, p ≤ .01). The results challenge healthcare professionals to screen pregnant mothers to identify at‐risk groups for post‐partum bonding disturbances. Intervention programs to prevent the development of bonding disturbances, and thus their possible serious consequences for children's development, should be considered.