Abstract

SAMORINHA, Catarina; FIGUEIREDO, Bárbara  and  CRUZ, José Matos. Prenatal bonding and anxiety in mothers and fathers: the impact of ultrasound in the 1st trimester of pregnancy. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2009, vol.10, n.1, pp.17-29. ISSN 1645-0086.

In order to analyse the first trimester ultrasound impact on anxiety and prenatal bonding, 22 mothers and 22 fathers were recruited from a Fetal Medicine and Prenatal Diagnosis Unit. The mothers and fathers filled out Portuguese versions of the Bonding Scale (Taylor, Atkins, Kumar, Adams, & Glover, 2005; Figueiredo, Marques, Costa, Pacheco, & Pais, 2005) and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg, & Jacobs, 1983; Portuguese version by Silva, 2003), before and after the ultrasound attendance. The results show that prenatal bonding improves significantly from before to after the ultrasound attendance, while the anxiety levels diminished. We can conclude that the ultrasound scanning seems to have a positive impact on the mother and father prenatal bonding and reassurance.

Keywords : Anxiety; Attachment; Bonding; Father; Mother; Obstetric Ultrasound.

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