a Open Univeristy, University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.
e Department of Public Health Solutions , Mental Health Unit , Helsinki , Finland.
J Reprod Infant Psychol. 2018 Jul;36(3):261-275. doi: 10.1080/02646838.2018.1462476. Epub 2018 Apr 26.
The maternal representations of an unborn baby begin to develop during pregnancy. However, the factors that moderate them are not well identified. The objective of this study was to jointly explore supportive and undermining factors in the maternal representations of an unborn baby and motherhood.
Cross-sectional data comprising 1646 women studied during the third trimester of pregnancy. Maternal expectations were measured using a 12-item self-report questionnaire, Mother's Representations about an Unborn Baby. Depression, anxiety, family atmosphere and adult attachment were measured using standardised questionnaires. Statistical analysis is based on multivariate linear regression analysis.
The most powerful predictors of a mother's prenatal expectations were the mother's educational status, age, closeness in adult relationships, higher levels of depressive symptoms and family atmosphere. In accordance with our hypothesis, depression was related to the mother's more negative expectations on their relationship with the unborn baby and on regularity in the baby's sleeping and eating patterns. A positive family atmosphere and the mother's ability for closeness and dependence (i.e. confidence) in adult relationships were related to more positive expectations of the mother-unborn baby relationship. On the other hand, stress, anxiety and adverse life events were not related to the mother's expectations of her unborn baby.
The results may be helpful in identifying families who need early professional support and call for studies where the prenatal phase is explored as a proactive phase for the development of the child-parent relationship.
胎儿期母亲对胎儿的认知开始发展。然而，调节这些认知的因素尚不清楚。本研究的目的是共同探讨支持和破坏胎儿期母亲对胎儿和母性认知的因素。
本横断面研究共纳入 1646 名在妊娠晚期接受研究的女性。使用包含 12 个项目的自我报告问卷“母亲对胎儿的认知”来测量母亲的期望。使用标准化问卷测量抑郁、焦虑、家庭氛围和成人依恋。统计分析基于多元线性回归分析。
母亲产前期望的最强预测因素是母亲的教育程度、年龄、成人关系的亲密程度、抑郁症状和家庭氛围水平较高。与我们的假设一致，抑郁与母亲对与胎儿关系的更负面期望以及婴儿睡眠和饮食模式的规律性有关。积极的家庭氛围以及母亲在成人关系中亲近和依赖（即信心）的能力与对母亲-胎儿关系的更积极期望有关。另一方面，压力、焦虑和生活中的不良事件与母亲对未出生婴儿的期望无关。
这些结果可能有助于识别需要早期专业支持的家庭，并呼吁进行研究，将产前阶段探索为发展亲子关系的积极阶段。
