Maternal-Fetal Attachment Among Pregnant Women in Primary Health Care and Associated Variables

Apego Materno-Fetal em Gestantes da Atenção Primária e Variáveis Associadas

Apego Materno-Fetal en Gestantes en Atención Primaria y Variables Asociadas

Abstract

Along with the rapid transition into motherhood, signs of Maternal-Fetal Attachment (MFA) begin to appear. This study aimed to identify the socioeconomic, gestational, social support, and psychological factors associated with MFA among pregnant women receiving primary health care. The sample included 151 pregnant women recruited from the Brazilian Basic Health Units (BHUs) in a city in Rio Grande do Sul, who completed a general questionnaire, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, and the short version of the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale. The data, analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics, showed that maternal age over 35, lack of social support, lower gestational age, and stress symptomatology were connected to reduced MFA. Early detection may help promote healthy infant development and improve maternal adjustment in the postnatal period.

Keywords:
maternal-fetal attachment; psychological stress; primary health care