• Korean Parent-Child Health Journal
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.49-66
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• 2000

Pregnancy is a task of creation in which a women mobilizes her self and the resources available to her in the generation of a new person. Through the pregnancy, a mother has formed the new human relationship with a fetus. Maternal-fetal relationship is considered one of mechanism making the relationship of mother and child. It is important to well-being of mother and fetus, too. The earliest interaction between a mother and her child is during prenatal period. Maternal-fetal dyad is unique and perceived interactions with the fetus make the pregnancy real for the mother. Maternal behavior is "instinctive" and is formed in early childhood by copy of the mother. But, Rubin argues that this behavior is an open intellectual system rather than a prepackaged bundle of traits. There is openness to new learning and a high value placed on knowing which occurs with silent organization in thought. Thus, nurses and other health professionals provide prenatal care that optimally is part of the environment in which the maternal-fetal dyad develops. Thus it is appropriate for nurses to increases their understanding of the dyad and to explore ways to enhance its development. This study focusses on the interaction ability and response of fetus, and the maternal-fetal interaction. The research of fetal responses that involve physiological changes and motor movement have been shown to coccur to both external sensory stimuli and to maternal emotional states. The fetus does also have sensory capacity to be aware of some maternal behaviors, and the motor ability to respond in a way the mother can notice. Thus, very rudimentary interactions appear to be possible. Maternal awareness of fetal activity was supported by several studies. More interesting to the present study are description of maternal-fetal interaction and the finding that there appear to be levels of sensitivity to the fetus involved in maternal-fetal interactions. First, recognition comes that the fetus is separate from the maternal self. Next, the fetus engages in. Lastly, the parent may describe active interaction with the fetus, believing that mother and fetus are communicating on a meaningful level. Several interventions, developed to promote more active interaction between mother and fetus, have been reviewed. In general, the parents were taught to stimulate the fetus and to notice the fetus' responses. This type of intervention might increase the mother's sensitivity to her unborn baby, and she may have a head start toward learning how to res pond sensitivity to the newborn infant. Research In the area of maternal-fetal interaction is scarce. Sensitive behavior is construed as an appropriate and timely response to a signal of need from another person, but no such signal of need can be claimed regarding the fetus. The highest level of maternal-fetal interaction, therefore, might be based more on maternal representations of the imagined fetus than on factual evidence of fetal participation.

• Korean Parent-Child Health Journal
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.128-139
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to compare the differences of anxiety-depression and maternal fetal attachment between pregnant women with preterm labor and normal pregnant women. The number of subjects was 132 convenienced sample. The sample were 66 pregnant women with preterm labor admitted in clinics and 66 normal pregnant women visited OB outpatient department at 1 general hospital in Busan. The data were collected by a self-reported questionnaire from Aug. 1st to Oct, 31th. 2006 and were analyzed with t-test, ANOVA, chi-square test using SPSS/Win PC+ 12.0. The research results were as follows: 1. The general characteristics between normal and preterm pregnancy were homogeneous. 2. It was significantly differed according to anxiety-depression between two groups, but it was not significantly differed according to maternal fetal attachment. 3. There were negative correlations with anxiety-depression and maternal fetal attachment. In conclusion, the special program should be created for each pregnant women and ante-natal nursing service may assessed and consulted on anxiety-depression and maternal fetal attachment, and needed the development of professional and educational nursing intervention on anxiety-depression and maternal fatal attachment enhancement in prenatal health care.