Melbourne School of Population and Global Health - Research Publications

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Author: Fisher, Jane × Subject: antenatal depression ×

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    Antenatal mood and fetal attachment after assisted conception
    Fisher, Jane R. W. ; HAMMARBERG, KARIN ; Baker, Gordon H. W. (Elsevier, 2007)
    Objective: Australian women conceiving with ART are at fourfold risk of admission to early parenting treatment programs compared to those conceiving spontaneously. The study aimed to identify prevalence and determinants of antenatal mood disturbance and other risks for early parenting difficulties after assisted conception. Design: A prospective longitudinal investigation from conception to 18 months postpartum using telephone interviews and self-report questionnaires. Setting: Melbourne IVF and Royal Women’s Hospital Reproductive Services, Victoria, Australia. Patient(s): A consecutive cohort of English-speaking women with ultrasound-confirmed ART -conceived pregnancies. Main outcome measure(s): Standardized psychometric measures of mood, quality of marital relationship, mother to fetus emotional attachment, and personality. Intervention(s): None Result(s): Of the 288 women with a confirmed pregnancy, 239 were contactable, 183 (77%) recruited and 95% completed both early and late pregnancy assessments. Participants were socioeconomically advantaged, had very good pregnancy health, exceptional marital relationships, normal personality styles and intense affectionate attachment to the fetus. Very few (< 5%) had clinically significant mood disturbance in late pregnancy. Conclusions: There were low rates of antenatal mood disturbance and other risk factors for postpartum depression. Pregnancy and motherhood might be idealised after ART conception and preparation for the realities of infant care might then be insufficient.