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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
Maternal serum screening and psychosocial attachment to pregnancy
Karen L Lawson1, Shelley I Turriff-Jonasson
1Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, 9 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. karen.lawson@usask.ca
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to examine whether maternal serum screening (MSS) is associated with lower maternal attachment to pregnancy.
Methods:
One hundred one pregnant women identified as at risk for fetal anomaly due to advanced maternal age completed a survey targeting their decisions regarding prenatal testing and their psychological attachment to their pregnancy. Of these women, 38 opted for no prenatal testing, 32 underwent MSS, and 31 had amniocentesis in their current pregnancy.
Results:
The results indicate that, throughout their pregnancy, the women who underwent MSS reported lower bonding levels as compared with those who chose either amniocentesis or no testing procedures.
Conclusion:
The results suggest that MSS may disrupt the developmental trajectory of the maternal-fetal bond even after favorable results are known. This may be due in part to the fact that the probabilistic nature of MSS results creates feelings of confusion rather than reassurance for many women following receipt of favorable results.
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