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Preexamination and Postexamination Assessment of Parental‐Fetal Bonding in Patients Undergoing 3‐/4‐Dimensional Obstetric Ultrasonography
Author(s) -
Pretorius Dolores H.,
Gattu Shilpa,
Ji Eun-Kyung,
Hollenbach Kathryn,
Newton Ruth,
Hull Andrew,
Carmona Susana,
D'Agostini Deborah,
Nelson Thomas R.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of ultrasound in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1550-9613
pISSN - 0278-4297
DOI - 10.7863/jum.2006.25.11.1411
Subject(s) - medicine , ultrasonography , obstetrics , fetus , pregnancy , surgery , genetics , biology
Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a change in parental bonding and couples' attitudes toward their fetus after undergoing 3‐/4‐dimensional ultrasonography (3D/4DUS). Methods. Sixty‐five fathers and 124 mothers were asked to fill out a maternal‐fetal attachment questionnaire relating to how they felt about their fetus before and after 3D/4DUS and to mark on a line indicating their feelings about the ultrasonography experience. In addition, 135 parents filled out a positive feelings questionnaire consisting of 5 sections assessing their feelings about the fetus. The 3D/4DUS examination included rendering of the fetal face, limbs, and thorax. Results. One hundred forty‐two patients filled out all questions and were analyzed for the total attachment score. The difference of the total score for the maternal‐fetal attachment questionnaire before and after 3D/4DUS had a z value of 5.6 for all patients and was statistically significant ( P < .0001). In analyzing each question, 5 were found to have a statistically significantly different score for women, but only 2 were found so for men. The scores for the line, before and after 3D/4DUS, showed a significant difference for men but not women. The women studied did not show a change using this instrument because their median response was at the maximum measurement before their sonograms. The positive feelings questionnaire showed a statistically significant change for women in all sections but for men in only 2. Conclusions. Parents have a change in attitude regarding their fetus after undergoing 3D/4DUS. Mothers showed an increase in bonding to their fetus after 3D/4DUS in more categories than fathers.