Association of prenatal, natal, and postnatal factors with maternal attachment

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of prenatal, natal and postnatal factors with maternal attachment in mothers having infants aged 1-4 months and defining no mental health problems. Methods: Information form, Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and Maternal Attachment Scale (MAS) were filled by mothers admitting to the pediatric clinics of two hospitals within six months, having infants aged 1-4 months, having birth records of their infants in one of these hospitals, having no previous psychiatric help for any reason, having no known psychiatric and/or chronic medical illness, being at least primary school graduates and agreeing to participate in the study (n=105). Associations of variables in the information form with scores of general symptom index (GSI) of the SCL-90 and MAS were evaluated. Results: Score of MBO of mothers having first baby was significantly higher compared to other mothers' scores. GSI score was significantly higher in mothers having a baby with undesired gender, compared to mothers having a baby with desired gender. There was no significant correlation between mother's age, length of marriage and the GSI score and MAS score. Conclusion: Having a baby for the first time, can be seen as one of the most important factors affecting attachment of mothers defining no mental health problems between the first and fourth months after birth. On the other hand, no difference found in almost all of prenatal, natal and postnatal factors in terms of maternal attachment suggests that maternal lovingly bonding process cannot be significantly affected by adverse conditions other than mental health problems.