Effectiveness of a prenatal behavior change communication intervention on maternal-fetal bonding: A randomized controlled trial in a tertiary care setting.
Arun Mamachan Xavier, Balagopal Varma R, Radhamany K et al.
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In 30 seconds
This three-arm randomized controlled trial evaluated a prenatal behavior-change communication intervention in 450 expectant mothers at a tertiary care setting. Maternal-fetal attachment was assessed at baseline and after intervention using the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS) and Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI). Compared with control, the group receiving communication therapy plus interactive supportive talk therapy had a significant improvement on the PAI (p < 0.001), but not on the MFAS (p = 0.064). The other intervention group did not differ significantly from control on either measure.
Key findings
- The intervention combining behavioral communication and interactive supportive talk therapy improved PAI-measured attachment versus control (p < 0.001).
- For the combined-intervention group, MFAS score changes versus control were not significant (p = 0.064).
- The other intervention group showed no significant difference from control on either attachment scale.
Why it matters
Maternal-fetal attachment is relevant to maternal mental health and may relate to later child development. The trial suggests that adding supportive talk therapy to behavioral communication may improve attachment as measured by one validated scale, while the lack of a significant result on the other scale underscores that findings depend on the measure used.
What to keep in mind
The intervention effect was not consistent across the two attachment measures; the abstract does not report effect sizes or longer-term child outcomes.