Behaviors aternal-Fetal Attachment and Spiritual Health during Pregnancy

Background: Establishment of an emotional connection with the fetus is among the stage of compliance with maternal role in pregnancy period. The primary relationship between mother and fetus is called maternal-fetal attachment, given the role of Maternal-Fetal attachment behaviors in parental behavior and children s education in future, the present study was aimed at determining the correlation between maternal-fetal attachment behaviors and mother’s spiritual health during pregnancy.Methods: This descriptive correlational study was conducted on 200 pregnant women using multistage sampling in 2015. Data collection tools included questionnaires of personal data, Cranley s Maternal Fetal Attachment Scale, and Paloutzian and Ellison s Spiritual Well-being Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 20, t-test, analysis of variance, linear regression, and Pearson’s and Spearman’s correlation coefficients.Findings: Of the participants, 69.5% significant positive correlation was observed between attachment and spiritual health (p = 0.000 and Spearman’s correlation coefficient = 0.4). The relationship between attachment and spiritual health for possible confounding and background variables was controlled by linear regression showing the significant relationship of spiritual enjoyed high spiritual health and 65.5% were highly attached. A health and number of births with attachment.Discussion and Conclusion: Secure attachment behaviors are more likely to occur if spiritual health improves, and less likely if the number of births increase. Maternal and neonatal health service providers should consider physical aspects of health as well as psychological and spiritual aspects in pregnant women. Moreover, multiparous mothers or those with unwanted pregnancy are of particular importance. Since infant’s mental health is closely related to mother’s health, promotion of mother s mental health can be effective in protecting public health. Paying more attention to attachment behaviors and spiritual health, maternal-fetal health care service providers can take steps to improve mother s mental health, quality of life and infant’s health during postnatal years.

Keywords:

Maternal-Fetal Attachment Behaviors , Spiritual Health , Pregnancy