Prenatal attachment interventions: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.
John J Coté1,2, Danielle B Dilsaver3, James Dimmock4
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA. john.cote@commonspirit.org.
Archives of Women'S Mental Health
|November 8, 2025
Summary
Prenatal attachment interventions significantly improve parent-child bonding. This comprehensive review highlights effective methods like touch, music, and educational strategies, offering compelling evidence for their efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal mental health
- Parent-child relationship research
- Evidence-based interventions
Background:
- Growing body of research on prenatal interventions to enhance parent-child relationships.
- Previous systematic reviews faced methodological limitations, leading to uncertain conclusions on prenatal attachment intervention effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a comprehensive systematic review capturing diverse study designs, intervention targets, and methods in prenatal attachment interventions.
- To employ meta-regression to assess the impact of heterogeneity on intervention effect estimates.
Main Methods:
- Systematic search of major databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, PsychINFO, Trip, Google Scholar) for empirical studies.
- Inclusion of studies published up to August 11, 2025, with English abstracts; translation of non-English full texts.
- PROSPERO registration (ID CRD42021241199) for transparency and rigor.
Main Results:
- Overall significant increase in prenatal attachment scores post-intervention (p < .001).
- Significant improvements observed in randomized controlled trials (p < .001) and studies focusing on male expectant parents (p = .017).
- Effective intervention methods included touch, Leopold's maneuver, fetal movement counting, music, relaxation, cognitive therapies, meditation, breathing exercises, and educational interventions.
Conclusions:
- This inclusive review provides compelling evidence for the effectiveness of prenatal attachment interventions, surpassing previous reviews with limited scope.
- Recommends further research into prenatal attachment for non-pregnant partners and caregivers.
- Suggests exploration of understudied interventions like music and 3D fetal ultrasound imaging.
Keywords:
BondingMaternal–fetal attachmentMeta-analysisMeta-regressionPaternal-fetal attachmentPrenatal attachmentMore Related Videos
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