MATERNAL AND PATERNAL ATTACHMENT AFTER IVF-ET TREATMENT: A CROS-SECTIONAL STUDY
2Medicine Faculty, ,Obstetrics andGynecology, Cukurova University, Adana
3Midwifery Department, Health Science Faculty, Gaziantep Islam Science and TechnologyUniversity, Gaziantep
4Nursing Department, Health Science Faculty, Tarsus University, Mersin
Purpose: This study was carried out to determine the maternal and paternal attachment levels and affecting factors of individuals who had a baby after in vitro fertilization‐embryo transfer (IVF-ET) treatment.
Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in the infertility clinic of a university hospital with mothers (n=64) and fathers (n=64) (a total of 128 participants) who had a baby after IVF-ET treatment. Research data were collected using the “Personal Information Form-Mother”, “Personal Information Form-Father”, “Maternal Attachment Inventory (MAI)”, and “Postnatal Paternal-Infant Attachment Questionnaire (PPAQ)”. In the analysis of the research data, descriptive statistics, Kruskall Wallis, and Mann Whitney U tests were used. The relationships between the scales and their total and subscales` mean scores were determined by Spearman Correlation Analysis.
Results: It was determined that the MAI mean score of the mothers was 102.35±3.05 and the PPAQ mean score of the fathers was 82.21±4.27. A statistically significant difference was found between the mothers` MAI mean score and the duration of the marriage. It was found that there was a statistically significant difference between the fathers` PPAQ mean score and the duration of the marriage, the duration of diagnosis of infertility, and the duration of infertility treatment (p<0.05). While the correlation analysis between the MAI mean score and the mean score of the PPAQ`s subscale of pleasure in interaction was positive and weakly significant (r=0.26; p=0.032); there was no significant relationship between the MAI mean score and the PPAQ mean score (r=0.18; p=0.146).
Conclusions: It was determined that mothers and fathers who had babies after IVF-ET treatment had high levels of attachment with their babies. It was found that the duration of the marriage in mothers, the duration of the marriage in fathers, the duration of the diagnosis of infertility, and the duration of the infertility treatment affect attachment levels. Healthcare professionals should evaluate the attachment levels of mothers and fathers who have a baby as a result of IVF-ET treatment and be aware of the factors affecting it.
