Perceived Social Support, Pregnancy Anxiety and Prenatal Attachment Among Primiparous and Multiparous Women – A Cross-Sectional Study

<p>Purpose: The present study examined perceived social support, pregnancy-related anxiety, and maternal antenatal attachment among primiparous and multiparous women and explored the relationships among these variables.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 76 pregnant women attending antenatal services at Tertiary Care Hospital. The sample consisted of 38 primiparous and 38 multiparous women selected through convenience sampling. Maternal antenatal attachment, perceived social support, and pregnancy-related anxiety were assessed using the Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (MAAS), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire-Revised 2 (PRAQ-R2). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U test, and Spearman's rank-order correlation.Results: Primiparous women reported significantly higher Quality of Attachment, Maternal Antenatal Attachment, and Fear of Giving Birth than multiparous women. Perceived social support did not differ significantly between the groups. Maternal antenatal attachment showed a positive association with perceived social support and a negative association with pregnancy-related anxiety. Perceived social support was also negatively associated with pregnancy-related anxiety.Conclusions: The findings suggest that perceived social support is closely linked to stronger antenatal attachment and lower pregnancy-related anxiety during pregnancy. The study highlights the importance of supportive interpersonal relationships in promoting maternal psychological well-being and positive prenatal attachment experiences.Keywords: maternal antenatal attachment; perceived social support; pregnancy-related anxiety; primiparous women; multiparous women</p>