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The Impact of Unplanned Pregnancy on Prenatal Attachment and Subjective Happiness

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 59 - 66, 26.03.2025

Ezgi Şahin , Saadet Yazıcı , Esra Yurtsev

https://doi.org/10.62425/esbder.1596451

Abstract

Objective: Unplanned pregnancies are a major public health problem that causes undesirable socio-economic and psychological consequences for women, children and families in both developed and developing countries. This study was carried out to evaluate the impact of unplanned pregnancy on prenatal attachment and subjective happiness.
Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 342 pregnant women who attended the Obstetrics and Gynecology outpatient clinic of a university hospital between July 2022 and October 2022. Data was collected using the Demographic Information Form, London Unplanned Pregnancy Determination Scale, Prenatal Attachment Inventory, and Subjective Happiness Scale. The data was evaluated using descriptive statistics, as well as pearson correlation and regression analyses.
Results: Age, number of pregnancies, pregnancy week, feelings experienced upon learning of the pregnancy, and previous pregnancy loss status all appear to have a statistically significant effect on the prenatal attachment and subjective happiness scale (p<.001). Regression analysis results show that prenatal attachment and subjective well being have a statistically significant effect on the London Unplanned Pregnancy Determination Scale (R2=0.495).
Conclusion: It has been found that unplanned pregnancies negatively affect early maternal behavior and individual happiness before birth. Therefore, it is considered important to provide counseling and psychosocial support to all pregnant women in order to bond with motherhood and ensure subjective happiness, along with prenatal education.

Keywords

Attachment fetal happiness maternal unplanned pregnancy

References

  • Abajobir, A.A., Maravilla, J.C., Alati, R., & Najman, J. M. (2016). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between unintended pregnancy and perinatal depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 192, 56-63.
  • Ali, N., Elbarazi, I., Al-Maskari, F., Loney, T., & Ahmed, L. A. (2023). Happiness and associated factors amongst pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates: The Mutaba'ah Study. PLOS One, 18(1), e0268214. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268214
  • Altiparmak, S., Yilmaz, A. N., & Aksoy Derya, Y. (2021). The Turkish validity and reliability study of the London measure of unplanned pregnancy. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, 47(4), 1362-1370.
  • Baghdari, N., Sadeghi Sahebzad, E., Kheirkhah, M., & Azmoude, E. (2016). The Effects of Pregnancy-Adaptation Training on Maternal-Fetal Attachment and Adaptation in Pregnant Women with a History of Baby Loss. Nursing and Midwifery Studies, 5(2), e28949. https://doi.org/10.17795/nmsjournal28949
  • Barrett, G., Smith, S. C., & Wellings, K. (2004). Conceptualisation, development, and evaluation of a measure of unplanned pregnancy. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 58(5), 426-433.
  • Borghei, NS., Taghipour, A., & Latifnejad Roudsari, R. (2017). Pregnant mothers’ strategies for the management of pregnancy concerns. Journal of Health, 23(2):106-125 http://health.tums.ac.ir/article-1-1784-en.html
  • Busonera, A., Cataudella, S., Lampis, J., Tommasi, M., & Zavattini, G. C. (2017). Prenatal Attachment Inventory: expanding the reliability and validity evidence using a sample of Italian women. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 35(5),462–479. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2017.1349896.
  • Çınar, N., Çaka, S. Y., Topal, s., Yuvaci, H.U., & ErKorkmaz, U. (2017). The relation of health-related practices of pregnant women, fatigue and prenatal attachment. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak, 27(11), 693-698.
  • Ekrami, F., Mohammad-Alizadeh Charandabi, S., Babapour Kheiroddin, J., & Mirghafourvand, M. (2020). Effect of counseling on maternal-fetal attachment in women with unplanned pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 38(2), 151–165. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2019.1636943
  • Dogan, T., & Totan, T. (2013). Psychometric properties of Turkish version of the Subjective Happiness Scale. The Journal of Happiness & Well-Being, 1(1), 21-28.
  • Gencer, E., & Ejder Apay, S. (2020). Does the desire of pregnancy affect subjective happiness? Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 11(2), 88-97.
  • Goossens, J., Van Den Branden, Y., Van der Sluys, L., Delbaere, I., Van Hecke, A., Verhaeghe, S., & Beeckman, D. (2016). The prevalence of unplanned pregnancy ending in birth, associated factors, and health outcomes. Human Reproduction (Oxford, England), 31(12), 2821–2833. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dew266
  • Harpel, T. S., & Barras, K. G. (2018). The impact of ultrasound on prenatal attachment among disembodied and embodied knowers. Journal of Family Issues, 39(6), 1523-1544.
  • Hasanzadeh, F., Kaviani, M., & Akbarzadeh, M. (2020). The impact of education on attachment skills in the promotion of happiness among women with unplanned pregnancy. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 9(1), 200.
  • Jangjoo, S., Lotfi, R., Assareh, M., & Kabir, K. (2021). Effect of counselling on maternal–fetal attachment in unwanted pregnancy: a randomised controlled trial. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 39(3), 225-235.
  • Jazayeri, S.H., Delavar, A., & Quortaj, F. (2018). Developing a model of happiness based on personality traits, emotional intelligence, attachment style, voluntary activities and demographic characteristics. Counseling Culture and Psycotherapy, 9(35), 27-56.
  • Koç Özkan, T., Şimşek Küçükkelepçe, D., and Aydın Özkan, S. (2020). The relationship between prenatal attachment and body perception in pregnancy and influencing factors. Celal Bayar Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi, 7(1), 49-54. https://doi.org/10.34087/cbusbed.587467
  • Lyubomirsky, S., & Lepper, H. S. (1999). A measure of subjective happiness: Preliminary reliability and construct validation. Social Indicators Research, 46, 137-155
  • Mahmoudi, P., Elyasi, F., Nadi, A., & Ahmad Shirvani, M. (2023). The Effect of Maternal-Foetal Attachment-Based Training Programme on Maternal Mental Health Following an Unintended Pregnancy. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 41(1), 26–42. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2021.1959538
  • Müller, M.E., & Mercer, R.T. (1993). Development of the prenatal attachment inventory. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 15(2), 199-215.
  • Nelson, J.A., & O'Brien, M. (2012). Does an unplanned pregnancy have long-term implications for mother–child relationships? Journal of Family Issues, 33(4), 506-526.
  • Perry, S. E., Hockenberry, M. J., Cashion, K., Alden, K. R., Olshansky, E., & Lowdermilk, D. L. (2022). Maternal Child Nursing Care-E-Book: Maternal Child Nursing Care-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
  • Ranatunga, I.D.J.C., & Jayaratne, K. (2020). Proportion of unplanned pregnancies, their determinants and health outcomes of women delivering at a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 20(1), 667. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-020-03259-2
  • Rastad, Z., Golmohammadian, M., Jalali, A., Kaboudi, B., & Kaboudi, M. (2021). Effects of positive psychology interventions on happiness in women with unintended pregnancy: randomized controlled trial. Helion, 7(8), e07789. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07789
  • Türk, R., Sakar, T., & Erkaya, R. (2017). The effect of pregnancy on happiness. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 237, 1247-1253.
  • Yağmur, Y., Oltuluoğlu, H., & Ergin, İ. O. (2019). The effect of fetal gender on the happiness level of mothers in the intrauterine period. ACU Health Science Journal, 10, 89-93.
  • Yılmaz, S., & Beji, N.K. (2013). Adaptation of Prenatal Attachment Inventory to Turkish: Reliability and Validity Study. Anatolian Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences, 16(2), 103-109.

The Impact of Unplanned Pregnancy on Prenatal Attachment and Subjective Happiness

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 59 - 66, 26.03.2025

Ezgi Şahin , Saadet Yazıcı , Esra Yurtsev

https://doi.org/10.62425/esbder.1596451

Abstract

Objective: Unplanned pregnancies are a major public health problem that causes undesirable socio-economic and psychological consequences for women, children and families in both developed and developing countries. This study was carried out to evaluate the impact of unplanned pregnancy on prenatal attachment and subjective happiness.
Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 342 pregnant women who attended the Obstetrics and Gynecology outpatient clinic of a university hospital between July 2022 and October 2022. Data was collected using the Demographic Information Form, London Unplanned Pregnancy Determination Scale, Prenatal Attachment Inventory, and Subjective Happiness Scale. The data was evaluated using descriptive statistics, as well as pearson correlation and regression analyses.
Results: Age, number of pregnancies, pregnancy week, feelings experienced upon learning of the pregnancy, and previous pregnancy loss status all appear to have a statistically significant effect on the prenatal attachment and subjective happiness scale (p<.001). Regression analysis results show that prenatal attachment and subjective well being have a statistically significant effect on the London Unplanned Pregnancy Determination Scale (R2=0.495).
Conclusion: It has been found that unplanned pregnancies negatively affect early maternal behavior and individual happiness before birth. Therefore, it is considered important to provide counseling and psychosocial support to all pregnant women in order to bond with motherhood and ensure subjective happiness, along with prenatal education.

Keywords

Attachment fetal happiness maternal unplanned pregnancy

References

  • Abajobir, A.A., Maravilla, J.C., Alati, R., & Najman, J. M. (2016). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between unintended pregnancy and perinatal depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 192, 56-63.
  • Ali, N., Elbarazi, I., Al-Maskari, F., Loney, T., & Ahmed, L. A. (2023). Happiness and associated factors amongst pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates: The Mutaba'ah Study. PLOS One, 18(1), e0268214. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268214
  • Altiparmak, S., Yilmaz, A. N., & Aksoy Derya, Y. (2021). The Turkish validity and reliability study of the London measure of unplanned pregnancy. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, 47(4), 1362-1370.
  • Baghdari, N., Sadeghi Sahebzad, E., Kheirkhah, M., & Azmoude, E. (2016). The Effects of Pregnancy-Adaptation Training on Maternal-Fetal Attachment and Adaptation in Pregnant Women with a History of Baby Loss. Nursing and Midwifery Studies, 5(2), e28949. https://doi.org/10.17795/nmsjournal28949
  • Barrett, G., Smith, S. C., & Wellings, K. (2004). Conceptualisation, development, and evaluation of a measure of unplanned pregnancy. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 58(5), 426-433.
  • Borghei, NS., Taghipour, A., & Latifnejad Roudsari, R. (2017). Pregnant mothers’ strategies for the management of pregnancy concerns. Journal of Health, 23(2):106-125 http://health.tums.ac.ir/article-1-1784-en.html
  • Busonera, A., Cataudella, S., Lampis, J., Tommasi, M., & Zavattini, G. C. (2017). Prenatal Attachment Inventory: expanding the reliability and validity evidence using a sample of Italian women. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 35(5),462–479. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2017.1349896.
  • Çınar, N., Çaka, S. Y., Topal, s., Yuvaci, H.U., & ErKorkmaz, U. (2017). The relation of health-related practices of pregnant women, fatigue and prenatal attachment. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak, 27(11), 693-698.
  • Ekrami, F., Mohammad-Alizadeh Charandabi, S., Babapour Kheiroddin, J., & Mirghafourvand, M. (2020). Effect of counseling on maternal-fetal attachment in women with unplanned pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 38(2), 151–165. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2019.1636943
  • Dogan, T., & Totan, T. (2013). Psychometric properties of Turkish version of the Subjective Happiness Scale. The Journal of Happiness & Well-Being, 1(1), 21-28.
  • Gencer, E., & Ejder Apay, S. (2020). Does the desire of pregnancy affect subjective happiness? Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 11(2), 88-97.
  • Goossens, J., Van Den Branden, Y., Van der Sluys, L., Delbaere, I., Van Hecke, A., Verhaeghe, S., & Beeckman, D. (2016). The prevalence of unplanned pregnancy ending in birth, associated factors, and health outcomes. Human Reproduction (Oxford, England), 31(12), 2821–2833. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dew266
  • Harpel, T. S., & Barras, K. G. (2018). The impact of ultrasound on prenatal attachment among disembodied and embodied knowers. Journal of Family Issues, 39(6), 1523-1544.
  • Hasanzadeh, F., Kaviani, M., & Akbarzadeh, M. (2020). The impact of education on attachment skills in the promotion of happiness among women with unplanned pregnancy. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 9(1), 200.
  • Jangjoo, S., Lotfi, R., Assareh, M., & Kabir, K. (2021). Effect of counselling on maternal–fetal attachment in unwanted pregnancy: a randomised controlled trial. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 39(3), 225-235.
  • Jazayeri, S.H., Delavar, A., & Quortaj, F. (2018). Developing a model of happiness based on personality traits, emotional intelligence, attachment style, voluntary activities and demographic characteristics. Counseling Culture and Psycotherapy, 9(35), 27-56.
  • Koç Özkan, T., Şimşek Küçükkelepçe, D., and Aydın Özkan, S. (2020). The relationship between prenatal attachment and body perception in pregnancy and influencing factors. Celal Bayar Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi, 7(1), 49-54. https://doi.org/10.34087/cbusbed.587467
  • Lyubomirsky, S., & Lepper, H. S. (1999). A measure of subjective happiness: Preliminary reliability and construct validation. Social Indicators Research, 46, 137-155
  • Mahmoudi, P., Elyasi, F., Nadi, A., & Ahmad Shirvani, M. (2023). The Effect of Maternal-Foetal Attachment-Based Training Programme on Maternal Mental Health Following an Unintended Pregnancy. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 41(1), 26–42. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2021.1959538
  • Müller, M.E., & Mercer, R.T. (1993). Development of the prenatal attachment inventory. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 15(2), 199-215.
  • Nelson, J.A., & O'Brien, M. (2012). Does an unplanned pregnancy have long-term implications for mother–child relationships? Journal of Family Issues, 33(4), 506-526.
  • Perry, S. E., Hockenberry, M. J., Cashion, K., Alden, K. R., Olshansky, E., & Lowdermilk, D. L. (2022). Maternal Child Nursing Care-E-Book: Maternal Child Nursing Care-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
  • Ranatunga, I.D.J.C., & Jayaratne, K. (2020). Proportion of unplanned pregnancies, their determinants and health outcomes of women delivering at a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 20(1), 667. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-020-03259-2
  • Rastad, Z., Golmohammadian, M., Jalali, A., Kaboudi, B., & Kaboudi, M. (2021). Effects of positive psychology interventions on happiness in women with unintended pregnancy: randomized controlled trial. Helion, 7(8), e07789. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07789
  • Türk, R., Sakar, T., & Erkaya, R. (2017). The effect of pregnancy on happiness. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 237, 1247-1253.
  • Yağmur, Y., Oltuluoğlu, H., & Ergin, İ. O. (2019). The effect of fetal gender on the happiness level of mothers in the intrauterine period. ACU Health Science Journal, 10, 89-93.
  • Yılmaz, S., & Beji, N.K. (2013). Adaptation of Prenatal Attachment Inventory to Turkish: Reliability and Validity Study. Anatolian Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences, 16(2), 103-109.
There are 27 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Psychosocial Aspects of Childbirth and Perinatal Mental Health, Midwifery (Other)
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Ezgi Şahin 0000-0002-5971-2964

Saadet Yazıcı 0000-0001-6348-0695

Esra Yurtsev 0000-0001-6347-2521

Publication Date March 26, 2025
Submission Date December 4, 2024
Acceptance Date March 20, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 8 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Şahin, E., Yazıcı, S., & Yurtsev, E. (2025). The Impact of Unplanned Pregnancy on Prenatal Attachment and Subjective Happiness. Journal of Midwifery and Health Sciences, 8(1), 59-66. https://doi.org/10.62425/esbder.1596451
AMA Şahin E, Yazıcı S, Yurtsev E. The Impact of Unplanned Pregnancy on Prenatal Attachment and Subjective Happiness. Journal of Midwifery and Health Sciences. March 2025;8(1):59-66. doi:10.62425/esbder.1596451
Chicago Şahin, Ezgi, Saadet Yazıcı, and Esra Yurtsev. “The Impact of Unplanned Pregnancy on Prenatal Attachment and Subjective Happiness”. Journal of Midwifery and Health Sciences 8, no. 1 (March 2025): 59-66. https://doi.org/10.62425/esbder.1596451.
EndNote Şahin E, Yazıcı S, Yurtsev E (March 1, 2025) The Impact of Unplanned Pregnancy on Prenatal Attachment and Subjective Happiness. Journal of Midwifery and Health Sciences 8 1 59–66.
IEEE E. Şahin, S. Yazıcı, and E. Yurtsev, “The Impact of Unplanned Pregnancy on Prenatal Attachment and Subjective Happiness”, Journal of Midwifery and Health Sciences, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 59–66, 2025, doi: 10.62425/esbder.1596451.
ISNAD Şahin, Ezgi et al. “The Impact of Unplanned Pregnancy on Prenatal Attachment and Subjective Happiness”. Journal of Midwifery and Health Sciences 8/1 (March 2025), 59-66. https://doi.org/10.62425/esbder.1596451.
JAMA Şahin E, Yazıcı S, Yurtsev E. The Impact of Unplanned Pregnancy on Prenatal Attachment and Subjective Happiness. Journal of Midwifery and Health Sciences. 2025;8:59–66.
MLA Şahin, Ezgi et al. “The Impact of Unplanned Pregnancy on Prenatal Attachment and Subjective Happiness”. Journal of Midwifery and Health Sciences, vol. 8, no. 1, 2025, pp. 59-66, doi:10.62425/esbder.1596451.
Vancouver Şahin E, Yazıcı S, Yurtsev E. The Impact of Unplanned Pregnancy on Prenatal Attachment and Subjective Happiness. Journal of Midwifery and Health Sciences. 2025;8(1):59-66.
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