Is Alexithymia in Pregnant Women Associated with Prenatal Attachment?

Abstract It is stated that the attachment patterns of alexithymic individuals who have difficulty expressing and conveying their emotions are insecure. It is very important to determine prenatal attachment risks, especially in pregnant women, and to prepare the woman for motherhood. In this study, it was aimed to determine the relationship between alexithymia level and prenatal attachment in pregnant women. The sample of the descriptive and cross-sectional study consisted of 335 pregnant women. Data were obtained using the Introductory Information Form, Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, Prenatal Attachment Inventory. It was found that 17% of the pregnant women were alexithymic. It has been determined that alexithymia in pregnant women is affected by variables such as education, work, income level, marriage willingly, participation in social activities, planned pregnancy, having problems during pregnancy, paying attention to weight before pregnancy, both her and her partner’s choice of birth style and participation in the preparatory class. The total alexithymia score obtained from the study was 48.93 ± 9.61, and the total prenatal attachment score was 66.68 ± 10.24. No significant correlation was found between alexithymia and prenatal attachment. There was no significant difference between prenatal attachment scores according to the alexithymic status of the pregnant women.