Determination of attachment levels of women to infants in prenatal period

The population of the study consists of 89.138 women that applied to Follow-Pregnant Clinic of Necip Fazil Maternity and Child Health Hospital in Kahramanmaraş, and the sample is composed of 382 women. As a data collection tool, the questionnaire "Prenatal Attachment Inventory" (Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient of 0.84) is used. The questionnaire consists of two parts. In the first part; socio-demographic characteristics of pregnant women and their spouses; the second part includes questions for fertility characteristics depend on what affects the attachment to babies of the women. Questionnaire and Prenatal Attachment Inventory were implemented between 20 January and 16 May 2014. The data obtained from this study is assessed by using SPSS 18 for Windows (Statistical Package for Social Sciences), and mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum values with percentage numbers, t-test are also assessed using SPSS. It is determined that there is statistically significant difference between means of Prenatal Attachment Inventory scores determining the attachment levels of pregnant women to infants and education level, number of pregnancies, number of living children, planned pregnancy, previously experienced pregnancy loss, healthy the emotions experienced when pregnancy learned, positive health behavior changes during pregnancy, tobacco and alcohol consumption habits (p < 0.05). According to the results of the regression analysis; a significant relationship was found that is between the level of prenatal attachment with positive changes in health behaviors during pregnancy and the pregnancy is planned (p < 0.05). As a result, attachment levels of pregnant women to their infants in prenatal period are respectively high (calculated Prenatal Attachment Inventory mean score is 59.31). Suggestions for increasing the attachment levels of pregnant women to their infants in prenatal period connecting the study results have also been developed.