Amniocentesis, maternal psychopathology and prenatal representations of attachment: a prospective comparative study

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 7; no. 7; p. e41777
• Main Authors: El-Hage, Wissam, Léger, Julie, Delcuze, Aude, Giraudeau, Bruno, Perrotin, Franck
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 25.07.2012; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adult; Alcohol; Amniocentesis; Amniocentesis - adverse effects; Amniocentesis - psychology; Anxiety; Anxiety - diagnosis; Anxiety - etiology; Attachment; Biochemical markers; Childbirth & labor; Comparative analysis; Comparative studies; Demographics; Depression - diagnosis; Depression - etiology; Female; Fetus - metabolism; Fetuses; Genes; Gestation; Human health and pathology; Humans; Karyotype; Life Sciences; Maternal Behavior - psychology; Medicine; Mental depression; Mother-offspring interactions; Mothers - psychology; Post traumatic stress disorder; Postpartum depression; Pregnancy; Pregnancy complications; Pregnancy Complications - diagnosis; Pregnancy Complications - etiology; Pregnant women; Prenatal depression; Prenatal Diagnosis; Prospective Studies; Psychiatrics and mental health; Psychological aspects; Psychopathology; Representations; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Stress; Studies; Validity; Womens health; France
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0041777

The aim of the study was to characterize the maternal dimensions of anxiety, depression and prenatal attachment in women undergoing an amniocentesis. A prospective observational study was conducted. Women were referred to early amniocentesis for increased nuchal translucency, elevated biochemical markers or advanced maternal age. All participants had 3 prenatal (16-18, 20-24, 30-34 weeks of gestation) and one postnatal (30-45 days) interviews reviewing for demographic, medical, and psychiatric information (STAI State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; EPDS: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; IRMAG: Interview of Maternal Representations of Attachment during pregnancy). We investigated 232 pregnant women who undergone an amniocentesis compared with 160 pregnant controls. Following the procedure, the amniocentesis group experienced transiently significantly higher levels of state-anxiety on the STAI (44.6 vs. 39.3) and depression as measured by the EPDS (9.4 vs. 6.3) than the controls. Overall in both groups, the maternal representations of attachment were well integrated and balanced, but the amniocentesis group experienced significantly more mother-directed representations. Amniocentesis is associated with higher affective adaptive reactions that tend to normalize during the pregnancy, with overall preserved maternal fetal representations of attachment.