Antenatal mood and fetal attachment after assisted conception.
OBJECTIVE
Australian women conceiving with ART are at fourfold risk of admission to early parenting treatment programs compared with those conceiving spontaneously. This study aimed to identify prevalence and determinants of antenatal mood disturbance and other risks for early parenting difficulties after assisted conception.


METHODS
A prospective longitudinal investigation from conception to 18 months postpartum using telephone interviews and self-report questionnaires.


METHODS
Melbourne IVF and Royal Women's Hospital Reproductive Services, Victoria, Australia.


METHODS
A consecutive cohort of English-speaking women with ultrasound-confirmed ART-conceived pregnancies.


METHODS
Standardized psychometric measures of mood, quality of marital relationship, mother-to-fetus emotional attachment, and personality.


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
Of the 288 women with confirmed pregnancies, 239 were contactable, and 183 (77%) were recruited, 95% of whom 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 idealized after ART conception, and preparation for the realities of infant care might then be insufficient.
Fisher
Jane R W
JRW
Key Centre for Women's Health in Society, School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: jrwf@unimelb.edu.au.
Hammarberg
Karin
K
Key Centre for Women's Health in Society, School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Baker
Gordon H W
GHW
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, and Melbourne IVF Reproductive Services, Royal Women's Hospital, Carlton, Australia.
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001315:Australia; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012923:Social Class