Preexamination and postexamination assessment of parental-fetal bonding in patients undergoing 3-/4-dimensional obstetric ultrasonography.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a change in parental bonding and couples' attitudes toward their fetus after undergoing 3-/4-dimensional ultrasonography (3D/4DUS).


METHODS
Sixty-five fathers and 124 mothers were asked to fill out a maternal-fetal attachment questionnaire relating to how they felt about their fetus before and after 3D/4DUS and to mark on a line indicating their feelings about the ultrasonography experience. In addition, 135 parents filled out a positive feelings questionnaire consisting of 5 sections assessing their feelings about the fetus. The 3D/4DUS examination included rendering of the fetal face, limbs, and thorax.


RESULTS
One hundred forty-two patients filled out all questions and were analyzed for the total attachment score. The difference of the total score for the maternal-fetal attachment questionnaire before and after 3D/4DUS had a z value of 5.6 for all patients and was statistically significant (P < .0001). In analyzing each question, 5 were found to have a statistically significantly different score for women, but only 2 were found so for men. The scores for the line, before and after 3D/4DUS, showed a significant difference for men but not women. The women studied did not show a change using this instrument because their median response was at the maximum measurement before their sonograms. The positive feelings questionnaire showed a statistically significant change for women in all sections but for men in only 2.


CONCLUSIONS
Parents have a change in attitude regarding their fetus after undergoing 3D/4DUS. Mothers showed an increase in bonding to their fetus after 3D/4DUS in more categories than fathers.
Pretorius
Dolores H
DH
Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA. dpretorius@ucsd.edu
Gattu
Shilpa
S
Ji
Eun-Kyung
EK
Hollenbach
Kathryn
K
Newton
Ruth
R
Hull
Andrew
A
Carmona
Susana
S
D'Agostini
Deborah
D
Nelson
Thomas R
TR
D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D033261:Maternal-Fetal Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000523:psychology*