Do taegyo practices, self-esteem, and social support affect maternal-fetal attachment in high-risk pregnant women? A cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Purpose: The incidence of high-risk pregnancies is increasing in Korea as the birth age increases due to late marriage. Maternal-fetal attachment is an important factor that affects children even after childbirth, but it is difficult for high-risk pregnant women to form maternal-fetal attachment. The current study aimed to explore whether taegyo practice (i.e., pregnant women’s efforts for fetal good growth and development), self-esteem, and social support influenced the degree of maternal-fetal attachment in women with high-risk pregnancies.Methods: The participants included 226 pregnant Korean women at ≥20 gestational weeks, hospitalized with 15 high-risk pregnancy conditions as defined by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Recruitment via convenience sampling was done at four sites in Busan, Korea. Surveys were distributed and collected from February 1 to 28, 2022. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, the t-test, one-factor analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression. Results: On average, participants were 33.97±4.23 years of age and at 31.65±6.23 gestational weeks. Preterm labor (35.4%) and gestational diabetes (21.0%) were the most common high-risk conditions. Maternal-fetal attachment was positively correlated with taegyo practice (r=.70, p<.001), self-esteem (r=.53, p<.001), and social support (r=.53, p<.001), all with statistical significance. Taegyo practice (β=.50, p<.001) and social support (β=.17, p=.030) explained 53% of variance in maternal-fetal attachment in women with high-risk pregnancies.Conclusion: Nurses caring for women with high-risk pregnancies during hospitalization can use these findings by promoting taegyo practice and enhancing social support to increase maternal-fetal attachment.

An explanatory model of quality of life in high-risk pregnant women in Korea: a structural equation model

“…However, this could also contribute to an increased burden of pregnancy and uncertainty about the prognosis compared to women with low-risk pregnancies. The percentage of participants who reported poor subjective health status was 18.3%, which is slightly higher than the 16.8% reported for hospitalized high-risk pregnant women [44] and similar to the 18.4% reported for high-risk pregnant women receiving outpatient care [45]. When compared to the 15.4% re-ported in a study on women with low-risk pregnancies [46], it is clear that women diagnosed with high-risk pregnancies tend to perceive their health status more negatively, regardless of whether they are receiving outpatient or inpatient treatment.…”

Prevalence and associated factors of prenatal depression in pregnant Korean women during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

“…The sample size was determined using the G*power 3.1.9.2 program, with a significance level of 0.05, a medium effect size of 0.15, a power of 0.85, and 15 predictors related to prenatal depression, general, obstetric, and prenatal education characteristics and the minimum sample size was determined to be 153 participants. The target was set at 180 participants to account for a potential 15% dropout rate [18]. As there were no incomplete or insufficient responses, the final analysis was conducted with a sample size of 180 (100%).…”