Adverse childhood experiences and prenatal attachment in pregnant women

Table 1 Descriptive characteristics of pregnant women (n = 367), mean ± SD (minimum-maximum)/n (%)

Variables
Age	27.08 ± 5.38 (18-42)
Duration of marriage (year)	4.98 ± 3.37 (1-24)
Number of living children	1.22 ± 1.15 (0-6)
Number of pregnancies	2.49 ± 1.37 (1-9)
Gestation week	34.99 ± 3.89 (26-40)
Marital status
Single	12 (3.3)
Married	355 (96.7)
Family structure
Nuclear family	304 (82.8)
Extended family	63 (17.2)
Education status
High school and before	271 (73.8)
University and beyond	96 (26.2)
Employment status
Employee	81 (22.1)
Unemployed	286 (77.9)
Spouse’s employment status
Spouse employed	345 (94.0)
Spouse unemployed	22 (6.0)
Social security
Yes	292 (79.6)
No	75 (20.4)
Longest lived in
Village/town	81 (22.1)
City center	286 (77.9)
Monthly income status
Income exceeds expenses	44 (12.0)
Income equals expenses	233 (63.5)
Income less expenses	90 (24.5)

Table 2 Obstetric characteristics of pregnant women (n = 367)

Variables	n	%
Experiencing health problems during pregnancy
Yes	72	19.6
No	295	80.4
Regular check-ups during pregnancy
Yes	332	90.5
No	35	9.5
Pregnancy planning status
Planner	234	63.8
Happy without a plan	117	31.8
Unplanned and unprepared	16	4.4
Planned mode of delivery
Vaginal	268	73.0
Cesarean section	73	19.9
Other	26	7.1
Curettage
Yes	43	11.7
No	324	88.3
Abortus
Yes	59	16.1
No	308	83.9

Table 3 Comparison of descriptive characteristics of pregnant women and mean Adverse Childhood Experiences scores (n = 367)

Variables	mean ± SD	Test value	P value
Marital status		t = 4.829	0.000
Single	3.33 ± 1.64
Married	1.65 ± 1.17
Family structure		t = -2.026	0.043
Nuclear family	1.64 ± 1.18
Extended family	1.98 ± 1.39
Education status		t = 1.184	0.237
High school and before	1.75 ± 1.24
University and beyond	1.57 ± 1.16
Employment status		t = -0.176	0.860
Employee	1.68 ± 1.26
Unemployed	1.71 ± 1.21
Spouse’s employment status		t = -3.567	0.000
Spouse employed	1.64 ± 1.17
Spouse unemployed	2.59 ± 1.65
Social security		t = -2.172	0.031
Yes	1.63 ± 1.16
No	1.97 ± 1.41
Longest lived in		t = 0.952	0.342
Village/town	1.81 ± 1.31
City center	1.67 ± 1.20
Planned mode of delivery		F = 1.254	0.287
Vaginal	1.66 ± 1.18
Caesarean section	1.64 ± 1.19
Other	1.88 ± 1.31
Experiencing health problems during pregnancy		t = 2.827	0.005
Yes	2.06 ± 1.45
No	1.61 ± 1.13
Regular check-ups during pregnancy		t = -2.392	0.017
Yes	1.65 ± 1.19
No	2.17 ± 1.44
Curettage		t = 1.176	0.240
Yes	1.91 ± 1.30
No	1.67 ± 1.21
Abortus		t = 1.588	0.113
Yes	1.93 ± 1.33
No	1.66 ± 1.20
Pregnancy planning status		F = 6.817	0.001
Planner	1.61 ± 1.18
Happy without a plan	1.74 ± 1.19
Unplanned and unprepared	2.75 ± 1.61

t: t-test; F: One-way ANOVA.

Table 4 Comparison of socio-demographic characteristics and mean prenatal attachment inventory scores of pregnant women (n = 367)

Variables		n	mean ± SD	Test value
Marital status	Single	12	59.17 ± 2.69	t = -4.911; P = 0.000
	Married	355	63.68 ± 3.14
Family structure	Nuclear family	304	63.55 ± 3.20	t = 0.156; P = 0.876
	Extended family	63	63.48 ± 3.37
Education status	High school and before	271	63.42 ± 3.32	t = -1.094; P = 0.275
	University and beyond	96	63.84 ± 2.93
Employment status	Employee	81	63.48 ± 3.29	t = -0.166; P = 0.868
	Unemployed	286	63.55 ± 3.21
Spouse’s employment status	Spouse employed	345	63.65 ± 3.15	t = 2.730; P = 0.007
	Spouse unemployed	22	61.73 ± 3.84
Social security	Yes	292	63.65 ± 3.21	t = 1.367; P = 0.173
	No	75	63.08 ± 3.27
Longest lived in	Village/town	81	63.20 ± 3.19	t = -1.063; P = 0.289
	City center	286	63.63 ± 3.23
Monthly income status	Income exceeds expenses	44	63.61 ± 3.08	F = 1.730; P = 0.179
	Income equals expenses	233	63.73 ± 3.25
	Income less expenses	90	62.99 ± 3.21
Experiencing health problems during pregnancy	Yes	72	62.85 ± 3.30	t = -2.021; P = 0.044
	No	295	63.70 ± 3.19
Regular check-ups during pregnancy	Yes	332	63.64 ± 3.08	t = 1.916; P = 0.056
	No	35	62.54 ± 4.33
Pregnancy planning status	Planner	234	63.81 ± 3.16	F = 7.175; P = 0.001
	Happy without a plan	117	63.37 ± 2.96
	Unplanned and unprepared	16	60.75 ± 4.62
Curettage	Yes	43	63.47 ± 3.94	t = -0.149; P = 0.882
	No	324	63.54 ± 3.13
Abortus	Yes	59	63.17 ± 3.02	t = -0.946; P = 0.345
	No	308	63.60 ± 3.26
Planned mode of delivery	Vaginal	268	63.56 ± 3.21
	Caesarean section	73	63.21 ± 3.35	F = 0.989; P = 0.373
	Other	26	64.23 ± 3.03

t: t-test; F: One-way ANOVA.

Table 5 Multiple linear regression analysis on the effect of pregnant women’s adverse childhood experiences on prenatal attachment (n = 367)

Independent variables	B	SE	β	t	P value	95%CI
Constant	3.174	0.038		83.534	< 0.001	3.100-3.249
Marital status (reference: Single)	0.065	0.031	0.076	2.101	0.036	0.004-0.126
Family type (reference: Extended family)	-0.030	0.014	-0.073	-2.073	0.039	-0.058 to -0.002
Number of living children (reference: 3 and above)	-0.035	0.016	-0.078	-2.228	0.026	-0.067 to -0.004
ACE	-0.092	0.005	-0.736	-20.237	< 0.001	-0.101 to -0.083

r = 0.748; R² = 56.0%; adjusted R² =0.55 (F = 115.184, P < 0.001, Durbin-Watson: 2.046). ACE: Adverse childhood experience; CI: Confidence interval.