The Influence of Parental Relationships on Childbirth: Results of a Longitudinal Study in Russia

Safe delivery is considered from the point of view of “maternal effects.” We interviewed 158 pregnant women in their third trimester of pregnancy with the help of the “Pregnant Woman Attitude Test,” and studied 116 of their births after delivery. The comparative analysis by Pearson’s chi-squared test method showed differences in these groups by the feature, “Because of pregnancy, my child’s father became more attentive and warmer to me.” The women who chose such a statement had delivery without complications in 64.5% of cases. The women who did not choose this statement had delivery without complications in 35.5% of cases. The comparative analysis by Pearson’s chi-squared test method showed that this group was comparable in a number of variables.
Key words: epigenetics, maternal effects, emotions, pregnancy, childbirth