The effect of perceived birth trauma in women with planned cesarean section on maternal and paternal attachment: Path analysis model

Perceived birth trauma can disrupt parent-infant bonding and affect family dynamics. This study examined the impact of perceived birth trauma on maternal and paternal attachment using path analysis. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 134 mother-father pairs in Turkey, 6 months postpartum, following planned cesarean sections. Data were collected using the Traumatic Childbirth Perception Scale, Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale, and Paternal-Infant Attachment Scale. Descriptive statistics and reliability analyses were conducted using R software. Path analysis was performed with the R package "lavaan" to assess direct and indirect relationships. Higher perceived birth trauma was significantly associated with increased maternal bonding difficulties and decreased paternal bonding. A significant negative covariance between maternal and paternal bonding scores indicated interdependent bonding dynamics. The model explained 6% of the variance in maternal bonding and 3.7% in paternal bonding. These findings underscore the need for family-centered, trauma-informed postpartum care to support healthy parent-infant attachment.