Maternal-Fetal Bonding, Coping Strategies, and Mental Health During Pregnancy–The Contribution of Attachment Style

This research assesses the contribution of pregnant women's attachment style to their reactions to the fetus and pregnancy. In Study 1, 260 women who were at different stages of pregnancy completed measures tapping attachment style and bonding to the fetus. In Study 2, 30 women were classified according to their attachment style, and their bonding to the fetus, mental health, and ways of coping with pregnancy-related problems were followed-up during the 3 trimesters of pregnancy. Secure women were strongly attached to the fetus from the beginning of pregnancy and reported seeking support and positive mental health during the entire pregnancy. Avoidant women showed weak attachment to the fetus and negative mental health in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy, and stronger bonding and better mental health in the second trimester. They also relied on distancing coping during the entire pregnancy. Anxious-ambivalent women showed a gradual increase in bonding to fetus from trimester to trimester, but their reliance on emotion-focused coping and negative mental health remained stable throughout the entire pregnancy. Results are discussed in terms of attachment theory.