Relationship between touching the fetus via the abdomen of pregnant women and fetal attachment based on changes in oxytocin levels

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K12096
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Lifelong developmental nursing
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: NAGAHASHI Miyuki (荒木美幸) 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(保健学科), 准教授 (10304974)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 大石 和代 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(保健学科), 教授 (00194069) ; 高村 恒人 日本女子大学, 人間社会学部, 研究員 (90773888)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 唾液オキシトシン / 胎児愛着 / タッチング / 妊婦

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to analyze the effects of recording the attachment behavior of pregnant women on fetal attachment, salivary oxytocin concentration, and fetal presence awareness. The subjects were 33 pregnant women. Only those in the intervention group recorded touching the fetus for 1 week. The mean value on the fetal attachment scale (hereafter referred to as PAI) was higher in the intervention group than that in the control group upon the second time (p=0.042). Only the intervention group showed an increase in the second PAI compared to that of the first (p=0.016). Oxytocin levels were higher in the intervention group compared to that in the control group upon the second visit (p=0.016). When the two groups were compared for changes on fetal presence awareness, more individuals in the intervention group were aware of the fetus than that in the control group (p=0.03).

Free Research Field

母性・助産学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

妊婦が胎児へのタッチング等、愛着行動の記録を1週間つけることで胎児の存在意識が高まり、胎児愛着や唾液オキシトシン濃度が高くなることが分かった。したがって、胎児の関わりの記録を促すなど、妊婦が日常生活の中で胎児の反応の知覚やかかわりを振り返ることで胎児への意識を高めることは、胎児への愛着形成を促し、妊婦の母親役割獲得の促進やさらには産後うつ発症の予防へと応用できる可能性が示唆された。