Anxiety during pregnancy and fetal attachment after in-vitro fertilization conception |
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Authors: | McMahon CA; Ungerer JA; Beaurepaire J; Tennant C; Saunders D |
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Institution: | Department of Psychological Medicine, Sydney University at Royal North Shore Hospital, Australia. |
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Abstract: | The aim of this study was to compare 70 couples who had conceived by in-
vitro fertilization (IVF) with 63 matched controls for the prevalence of
anxiety and quality of attachment to the baby during pregnancy. Results for
mothers showed no group differences using a global measure of anxiety, the
Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. However, pregnancy-specific
measures revealed significantly higher levels of anxiety in IVF mothers
about the survival and normality of their unborn babies, about damage to
their babies during childbirth and about separating from their babies after
birth. When IVF mothers were differentiated according to the number of
treatment cycles, more differences in anxiety level were revealed, with
most increases occurring in mothers who had experienced two or more
treatment cycles. IVF fathers did not differ from controls on the global
anxiety measure. No data on pregnancy-specific anxiety were available for
fathers. Neither IVF mothers nor IVF fathers differed from controls on
measures of attachment to the baby during pregnancy. Results are discussed
in the context of the need for researchers to employ differentiated and
issue-specific measures to identify concerns that may be unique to IVF
couples. Clinical implications regarding the need for psychological support
during pregnancy are also discussed.
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