From Conception to Connection: Exploring Maternal-Fetal Attachment

The perinatal experience is profound for both mother and child; however, its effects remain relatively understudied in the literature. This study explored three primary concepts: (1) the impact of pregnancy wantedness on maternal-fetal attachment (MFA); (2) the relation between MFA and newborn birthweight; and (3) the impact of MFA on maternal acceptance of toddlers 12 to 24 months postpartum. The sample consisted of 60 Egyptian mothers. Inclusion criteria limited participation to mothers with toddlers between the ages of 12 and 24 months (M = 17.18, SD = 3.31) at the time of answering the questionnaire. The Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS) was used to measure MFA, the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ) was used to measure maternal acceptance, and a Personal Information Form gathered information about pregnancy wantedness and birth weight. Results found that mothers who wanted their pregnancies had the highest levels of MFA; whereas, mothers who had no strong feelings about the pregnancy had the lowest MFA scores. Additionally, maternal-fetal attachment was positively and significantly correlated with a newborn’s birth weight. Finally, there was a significant relation between high levels of MFA and high maternal acceptance at 12 to 24 months postpartum.