Maternal fetal attachment during teenage pregnancy
Olivier, Lize (2016-03)
ENGLISH ABSTRACT : The significant attachment relationship between a mother and her child has been found already beginning to develop during pregnancy and is known as Maternal Fetal Attachment (MFA). This exclusive and unique prenatal attachment relationship develops with the progression of pregnancy and is the strongest during the third trimester of pregnancy. A strong MFA relationship has been found to promote healthy prenatal and postnatal outcomes for the pregnant mother and her unborn baby. Research about the contextual and emotional influences on MFA during adult pregnancy is known but little is known about the factors influencing this important relationship during teenage pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy alters the normal developmental course of the adolescent, because she is emotionally and intellectually not ready yet to become a parent. Teenage pregnancy is a global dilemma with most research focusing on prevention. There is a great need for more research to be done to assist pregnant teenagers to form healthier prenatal attachment relationships with their unborn babies by working from an attachment theory framework in order to promote better health outcomes for the pregnant teenagers and their infants, especially in developing countries such as South Africa.
The methodology of this study can be described as a qualitative multiple case study design within an interpretive paradigm. Using purposive sampling, three pregnant teenagers in the third trimester of pregnancy, attending a high school in the Western Cape were selected. The methods of data collection included semi-structured individual interviews, a semi-structured focus group interview and collages. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data of each case, as well as for a cross case analysis.
The findings from this multiple case study indicated that the development of MFA during teenage pregnancy differs from MFA during adult pregnancy. One of the main contrasts was the emotions the pregnant teenager experienced through the different pregnancy stages, especially in the first and second trimester of pregnancy. The development of strong MFA was evident in the third trimester of the participants’ pregnancies. Similarly to adult pregnancy social support, ultrasound images and fetal movements enhanced the development of MFA. The social support received from parents, the baby’s father, the paternal grandparents, friends, and the inclusive school were the most pertinent contributing factors to the development of MFA. In this case study the participants’ mothers played a primary role in their development of MFA.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Dit is bevind dat die beduidende gehegtheidsverhouding tussen 'n ma en haar kind reeds tydens swangerskap ontwikkel en dit staan bekend as Moeder-Fetale Gehegtheid (MFG). Hierdie eksklusiewe en unieke prenatale gehegtheidsverhouding ontwikkel met die verloop van swangerskap en is die sterkste in die derde trimester van swangerskap. Daar is bevind dat 'n sterk MFG verhouding bevorder gesonde prenatale en postnatale uitkomste vir die swanger moeder en haar baba. Navorsing oor die kontekstuele en emosionele invloede op MFG tydens volwasse swangerskap is bekend, maar min is bekend oor die faktore wat hierdie belangrike verhouding tydens tienerswangerskappe beïnvloed. Dit verander die normale verloop van die adolessent se ontwikkeling, want sy is emosioneel en intellektueel nog nie gereed om 'n ouer te word nie. Dit is 'n wêreldwye dilemma en die meeste navorsing fokus op die voorkoming daarvan. Daar is egter 'n groot behoefte aan meer navorsing binne 'n gehegtheidsteoretiese raamwerk om swanger tieners te help om gesonder prenatale gehegtheidsverhoudings met hul ongebore babas te vorm, en om beter gesondheidsuitkomstes vir die swanger tieners en hul babas te bevorder, veral in ontwikkelende lande soos Suid-Afrika.
Die metodologie van hierdie studie kan beskryf word as 'n kwalitatiewe meervoudige gevallestudie ontwerp binne 'n interpreterende paradigma. Deur middel van doelgerigte steekproefneming is drie swanger tieners in die derde trimester van swangerskap uit ‘n Wes-Kaapse hoërskool gekies. Die data-insamelingsmetodes het semi-gestruktureerde individuele onderhoude, 'n semi-gestruktureerde fokusgroep-onderhoud en collages ingesluit. Kwalitatiewe inhoudsanalise is gebruik om die data van elke geval, sowel as vir 'n kruisgeval, te ontleed.
Die bevindinge van hierdie meervoudige gevallestudie het daarop gedui dat die ontwikkeling van MFG in tienerswangerskappe verskil van MFG tydens volwasse swangerskap. Een van die belangrikste kontraste was die emosies wat die swanger tiener ervaar gedurende die verskillende stadiums van swangerskap, veral gedurende die eerste en tweede trimester. Die ontwikkeling van 'n sterk MFG was duidelik in die derde trimester van swangerskap teenwoordig by die deelnemers. Net soos tydens volwasse swangerskap verbeter sosiale ondersteuning, ultraklankbeelde en fetale bewegings die ontwikkeling van MFG. Die sosiale ondersteuning wat ontvang word van ouers, die baba se pa, die vaderlike grootouers, vriende, en die inklusiewe skool was die mees pertinente bydraende faktore tot die ontwikkeling van MFG. In hierdie gevallestudie het die moeders van die deelnemers ‘n primêre rol in hul ontwikkeling van MFG gespeel.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/98486