Gestational Factors in Mother – Infant Bonding Impairment Among Women With High Risk Pregnancies

AIMS: The present study aimed to study maternal bonding impairment among postpartum women at 6–8 weeks postpartum. We compared the severity of bonding impairment among women with high and low risk pregnancies. We also explored gestational factors related to maternal bonding impairment in these women. METHODS: Hundred women at six – eight weeks postpartum, without any significant physical or mental illness, were assessed for bonding failure using the Postpartum Bonding questionnaire. Their antenatal and postnatal records were reviewed to determine various gestational factors and subsequently classify them as high risk or low risk pregnancies. Unpaired t test and multiple regression analysis were used as appropriate for statistical analysis. RESULTS: 7% of the mothers had significant impairment in bonding with their infants. The most prevalent type of bonding impairment was infant focused anxiety (1%) and incipient abuse (1%). Maternal bonding failure (d = 0.74) and rejection of infant (d = 0.45) were significantly higher in women with high risk pregnancies (P < 0.01). Not having a term delivery was the most significant factor associated with impaired maternal bonding (β = - 0.26, P = 0.02). Other factors in the model were maternal BMI, mode of delivery, having an emergency caesarean section, presence of congenital malformations in the baby and history of NICU admission. Overall adjusted R-squared for the model was low (0.07), indicating only 7% of variation can be accounted by the gestational factors in the model. CONCLUSION: Women with high risk pregnancies have higher chances of an impaired bond with their infants. Preterm / post term delivery is the most important risk factor.