The Influence Factors on Maternal Fetal Attachment among Taiwanese IVF Women in Their Early Pregnancy

Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Pi-Chao Kuo, RN, PhD , College of Nursing, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to understand of the influence factors on maternal fetal attachment among Taiwanese IVF women in their early pregnancy.

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to share different culture of maternal fetal attachment.

The women treated by in vitro fertilization (IVF) would face higher incidence of high-risk pregnancy and more difficult transition during their early pregnancy. In order to provide better prenatal care for them, it is important to explore factors those would influence the maternal fetal attachment among Taiwanese IVF women in their early pregnancy. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between Chinese childbearing attitude, social support, pregnancy psychosomatic symptoms, pregnancy anxiety, pregnancy stress and maternal fetal attachment for IVF women during different gestational age. This was a longitudinal study design. Data were collected from 150 IVF women gestation at 9 weeks, 12 weeks and 20 weeks at an Infertility care center, using a questionnaire survey approach. The questionnaire was included demographic data, The Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale, The Symptoms Checklist, The Pregnancy-related Anxiety Scale, The Maternal-Fetus Attachment Scale, The Social Support Apgar and Chinese Childbearing Attitude Questionnaire.

The result present that the level of pregnancy anxiety was decreased as the gestational age was increased. Following by the increasing gestational age, the level of pregnancy stress and maternal fetal attachment were increased. There were positive relationships between maternal fetal attachment, Chinese childbearing attitude and social support during 9 weeks of gestational age. In addition, there were positive relationships between maternal fetal attachment, Chinese childbearing attitude, pregnancy stress and social support during 12 weeks of gestational age. Finally, there were positive relationships between maternal fetal attachment, Chinese childbearing attitude and pregnancy stress during 20 weeks of gestational age. The findings from this study provide evidence based information in maternal fetal attachment among Taiwanese IVF women in their early pregnancy to improve the quality of prenatal care service. The implications of these findings for maternal fetal attachment among Taiwanese IVF women are discussed.