Objective: To explore the factor structure of the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale
(MFAS) and investigate its psychosocial and demographic correlates in a Hungarian
sample. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Sonography clinic in a metropolitan
area. Participants: One hundred fourteen women over the age of 18 years in the second
or third trimesters of pregnancy. Methods: Participants completed the Hungarian version
of the MFAS and provided information on demographic, socioeconomic, and pregnancy-related
factors. Results: The internal consistency of the MFAS total scale was acceptable
(Cronbach's alpha _.87). However, the reliability of the five subscales was low (alpha
coefficients between.57 and.74), and the original five-factor model was not supported
by the factor analyses. Married mothers had higher scores on the MFAS than participants
who were unmarried, and uncertainty about the sex of the fetus was associated with
lower attachment scores. Furthermore, gestational age showed a positive correlation
with MFAS scores. No significant association was found between the total score on
the MFAS and such factors as age, income, or education of the parents; whether the
pregnancy was planned; method of conception; number of children born previously; prior
perinatal losses; and circumstances of the mother's own birth. Conclusion: Our study
showed that marital status, uncertainty about the sex of the fetus, and gestational
age were associated with maternal-fetal attachment; however, more detailed analysis
was not possible because of the instability of the subscales of the instrument. Further
research is warranted on the underlying factors related to maternal-fetal attachment.
