The Relationship Between Prenatal Attachment and Social SupportLevels of Pregnant Women in the Third Trimester and Factors Affectingthis Relationship

Abstract

Background: This descriptive study was conducted to determine the relationship between pre natal attachment and perceived social support levels of pregnant women in the third trimester. Methods: The study sample consisted of 152 pregnant women who applied to the Non-StressTest Outpatient Clinic of a public hospital between July 21 and September 22, 2017. Data werecollected using a questionnaire form, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support,and the Prenatal Attachment Inventory. Descriptive statistics from the data obtained wereevaluated using Student's t-test for comparison of two group means and one-way analysis ofvariance for comparing more than two group means. Pearson correlation coefficient was usedto determine the relationship between two continuous variables. Results: It was found that the mean score obtained by the pregnant women from the SocialSupport Scale was 57.93 ± 13.76 and the mean score from the Prenatal Attachment Invento ry was 61.84 ± 10.07. Social support and prenatal attachment levels were greater in pregnantwomen with high school and higher levels of education. In addition, it was found that prenatalattachment levels were lower among pregnant women with a history of abortion and 3 or morepregnancies. There was a moderate positive correlation between the mean scores obtained fromthe Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Prenatal Attachment Inventory. Conclusion: It was determined that, as the perceived social support levels of pregnant womenincreased, their prenatal attachment levels also increased. In line with the results obtainedfrom the study, it is recommended that nurses, who play a key role in increasing attachmentin the prenatal period, should determine the sources and levels of social support for pregnantwomen and consider the relationship between social support and prenatal attachment withrespect to the factors affecting this relationship.