The parental-fetal tie during pregnancy

Abstract

How expectant parents think and feel about the unborn child over the gestational period is a topic of interest to midwives providing antenatal care but is not one that is commonly emphasised in midwifery educative programmes. Thus, the chapter aims to fill this gap, detailing existing knowledge pertaining to expectant parents’ fetal conceptual and relational experiences across pregnancy.

While the path towards developing a parental-fetal tie differs somewhat between individuals, particularly in timing and intensity, several core processes are universally present. Coming to think of the fetus as a familiar other and as part of the intimate family unit is a vital element in achieving a sense of relatedness. An increasingly tangible fetus facilitates such an outlook, but expectant parents must make use of their imagination to conjure up clear mental images of the unborn child from the relatively minor evidence available to them. Nevertheless, the development of a true relationship is limited by restricted access to the fetus as well as by difficulties in perceiving fetal reciprocity.

Midwives providing antenatal care should reserve judgement about women and men who demonstrate variable reactions to the fetus. Instead, they should use their knowledge about the PFT to facilitate open discussions about parental thoughts and feelings related to the unborn child. They can support the PFT by educating women and men about fetal development and capabilities at each stage of pregnancy.