Somatic sensations throughout the pregnancy: their time course along with gestational weeks and relation to maternal-fetal attachment

Pregnancy is responsible for a wide range of changes in a woman’s somatic sensations, which may significantly impact a mother’s attachment to the fetus. The present cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the transition of pregnant women’s somatic sensations from early to late pregnancy and the relationship between maternal somatic sensations and attachment to the fetus. Through a web-based questionnaire survey of first-time pregnant women, we measured their somatic sensations of pregnancy (SSoP), maternal-fetal attachment, and other indices. We conducted factor analysis on the SSoP to identify the factors within the SSoP involved. On this basis, we examined whether differences in gestational week (GWs) and factors affected the SSoP scores. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to examine whether the SSoP factors were associated with maternal-fetal attachment. The factor analysis revealed that the SSoP were divided into seven factors according to the type of physical symptoms and the concerned body part, with each factor showing different patterns with the progression of GWs. Among the SSoP factors, the sensitivity to the urological system predicted a higher attachment total score after controlling for the effect of other indices. The findings accentuate the manifold changes in the somatic sensations experienced by pregnant women throughout the GWs and imply that somatic sensations are one of the significant factors for the development of maternal-fetal attachment. This comprehensive evaluation of somatic sensations in pregnant women has considerable implications for the promotion of their physical and psychological well-being.