title: Effect of nursing intervention program using abdominal palpation of Leopold's maneuvers on maternal-fetal attachment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate whether a nursing intervention program using abdominal palpation would improve maternal-fetal relationships of pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were Japanese women aged less than 40 years with singleton pregnancies. A nursing intervention involving abdominal palpations of Leopold's Maneuvers was performed for the intervention group (n = 35) in the 30th, 32nd, and 34th weeks' gestation, while ordinary health-related advice was provided to the control group (n = 73) in the corresponding period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the 30th (baseline) week, no intergroup differences were observed. However, the intervention group showed higher Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI) scores in the 34th (P < 0.01) and 36th weeks (P < 0.05) as well as a higher frequency of talking to the fetus in the 32nd (P < 0.01), 34th (P < 0.01), and 36th weeks (P < 0.05). Furthermore, Fetal position awareness score in the 32nd, the 34th, and the 36th weeks were higher in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings have suggested that nursing interventions involving abdominal palpations can develop the maternal-fetal relationship. Further random controlled trials are warranted to ascertain this observation.
authors: Department of Nursing, Kyoto Koka Women's University, 38 Kadono-cho, Nishikyogoku, Kyoto, Ukyo-ku 615-0882, Japan. m-nishikawa@mail.koka.ac.jp
authors: Miyuki
authors: M
authors: Nishikawa
authors: Hisataka
authors: H
authors: Sakakibara
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033261:Maternal-Fetal Relations; D009721:Nurse Midwives; D009769:Object Attachment; D009773:Obstetric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D010173:Palpation / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing*; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*