The mother-child relationship following in vitro fertilisation (IVF): Infant attachment, responsivity, and maternal sensitivity

Infant attachment and mother-child interaction were evaluated for 65 primip arous women and their singleton infants conceived through in vitro fertilis ation (IVF) and a control group of 61 women and their infants conceived nat urally. The sample was enrolled during pregnancy as part of a longitudinal study. At 12 months postpartum, security of infant attachment was assessed using the Strange Situation procedure, and mother-child interaction was ass essed in a free play context using the Emotional Availability Scales. IVF c hildren demonstrated predominantly secure attachment relationships with the ir mothers (64.6 % IVF, 55.9 % controls), and there were no significant bet ween-group differences in the proportion of IVF compared to control group c hildren classified in any of the secure or insecure attachment groups. Furt hermore, there were no significant group differences on maternal (sensitivi ty, structuring, hostility) or child (responsivity, involving) dimensions o f interaction during play. The majority of IVF mothers (86 %) were sensitiv e and their infants responsive (91 %). Contrary to expectation, mother's ra tings of greater anticipated infant difficultness assessed during pregnancy and higher ratings of infant temperament and behaviour difficulty assessed at 4 and 12 months postpartum were associated with secure attachment relat ionships and more optimal mother-child interaction in both the IVF and cont rol groups.