A woman's attitude toward pregnancy. Can it predispose her to preterm labor?

A prospective study was designed to assess the relationship between a woman's attitude toward pregnancy, sociomedical factors and preterm labor among 434 consecutive pregnant women who filled out a self-reporting, multiple choice questionnaire at 24-28 weeks' gestation. The score on "poor investment in pregnancy," evaluating the maternal attitude toward pregnancy and the antepartum fetomaternal relationship, was the best predictor of preterm labor, followed by the risk score based upon sociomedical factors. Psychologic factors could play a significant role in the onset of preterm labor.