Preparing heart and mind following prenatal diagnosis of complex congenital heart defect

Area of Science:

• Perinatal Psychology
• Parenting Studies
• Attachment Theory

Background:

• Prenatal diagnosis of fetal heart defects presents unique challenges for parents.
• Understanding parental experiences is crucial for developing supportive interventions.
• Attachment and caregiving theories provide a framework for examining parental adaptation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore parents' retrospective accounts of prenatal experiences following a fetal heart defect diagnosis.
• To identify the core processes and motivations involved in preparing for infant caregiving in this context.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive study utilizing qualitative data.
• 14 semistructured interviews conducted with 13 mothers and 3 fathers.
• Directed content analysis to identify key themes and categories.

Main Results:

• A central category of "preparing heart and mind for infant caregiving" emerged.
• This preparation involves developing motivations for relating to the baby, practical handling of circumstances, and managing medical care.
• A theoretical model illustrating the prenatal adaptation process was developed.

Conclusions:

• Parents facing fetal heart defect diagnoses engage in a significant prenatal process of mental and emotional preparation for caregiving.
• This preparation is a preliminary caregiving goal that shapes motivations and expectations for infant care.
• Findings inform the development of support systems for parents of infants with complex congenital heart defects.