The determination of maternal and paternal fetal attachment situations and the factors influencing them in both healthy and high risk pregnancies

This study aimed to investigate the attachment statuses between mother-infant and father-infant in both healthy and high-risk pregnancies, and to identify associated factors. The descriptive comparative study was carried out between November 2022 and February 2023 at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic and Polyclinic of a hospital in Istanbul. Pregnant women with a medical diagnosis were included in the high-risk pregnancy group, while those without were included in the healthy pregnancy group. A total of 770 individuals were included in the sample, consisting of 130 high-risk pregnant women and their partners, as well as 255 healthy pregnant women and their partners. The data collection instruments used were the Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI), Maternal Personal Information Form, Paternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (PAAS), and Paternal Personal Information Form. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Data analysis was performed using SPSS, including frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, normality analysis, independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The mean score of PAI was found to be 61.79 for high-risk pregnant women and 59.17 for healthy pregnant women. The PAI score of high-risk pregnant women was higher compared to healthy pregnant women, indicating a higher level of attachment. The total mean score of PAAS for partners of high-risk pregnant women was 59.13, with an average of 26.72 for attachment quality and 32.4 for time spent on attachment-related activities. For partners of healthy pregnant women, the total mean score of PAAS was 55.27, with an average of 24.81 for attachment quality and 30.45 for time spent on attachment-related activities. The partners of high-risk pregnant women had a higher average score on PAAS compared to the partners of healthy pregnant women, indicating a higher level of attachment. It was observed that as the relationship between the partners improved, maternal-fetal attachment increased in both healthy and high-risk pregnant women. Having spousal support for both healthy and high-risk pregnant women increased maternal-fetal attachment. As a result, parents experiencing high-risk pregnancies exhibit higher levels of maternal and paternal attachment compared to those experiencing healthy pregnancies. It is essential for nurses to understand the factors influencing parent-infant attachment and to support factors that enhance it. Consideration of factors affecting infant attachment should be taken into account when planning care for high-risk pregnancies.