Maternal-fetal attachment and perceived relationships with important others in adolescents

We examined associations between maternal-fetal attachment and the pregnant adolescent's perceived relationships with her mother and the baby's father. Questionnaires were administered in health department prenatal clinics to a sample of 61 Mexican-American, African-American, and Caucasian adolescents at 13 to 40 weeks' gestation. Each woman complete Cranley's maternal-fetal attachment scale (MFAS), an investigator-developed relationship with mother scale and a survey instrument that assessed living situation, perceptions of the relationship with the baby's father, and standard demographic variables. Scores on the MFAS significantly correlated with the adolescent's perceived close relationships with her mother and the baby's father, frequency of contact with the baby's father, gestation, and marital status. Mexican-American adolescents scored significantly lower on the MFAS than Caucasian adolescents. The scale needs further testing in multiethnic groups of adults and adolescents.