Individual Differences in Maternal, Marital, Parenting and Child Outcomes Following Perinatal Loss: A Longitudinal Study

Objective: To examine the impact of past perinatal loss on mothers and children in a community sample and to consider maternal race and adult attachment status as moderators. Background: Prior perinatal loss has been shown to impact subsequent maternal parenting and child outcomes, but findings have been inconsistent particularly in minority mothers and samples not chosen due to perinatal loss history. Methods: Participants were 204 first-time mothers from a longitudinal study about predictors of sensitivity. Mothers completed the Adult Attachment Interview prenatally and reported on depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction prenatally and at 6 months and 1 year postpartum. Maternal sensitivity was observed at 6 months and 1 year, and infant-mother attachment security was assessed via the Strange Situation when children were 1 year old. Mothers reported on their reproductive history and current attitudes about the target child during the preschool period. Results: Fifty-eight (28.43%) mothers had a history of prior perinatal loss. Between group analysis revealed no differences based on perinatal loss and no moderation by maternal race or adult attachment. However, within the loss group, mothers who experienced losses later in the gestational period had less positive feelings about parenting and their children had less secure attachments to them; and mothers who had more perinatal losses had higher depressive symptoms at 1 year postpartum and less positive attitudes about parenting independent of race and SES. Conclusion: In the circumstance of multiple and later perinatal losses maternal well-being and child outcomes may be negatively impacted.