Interactive Ultrasound Examination

Relationship between mother and child starts to develop during pregnancy and continues after birth. Drug abuse, depression, very young or old age, weak social network, mothers´ own negative experiences from childhood's relationships and fear of birth may weaken the normal development of maternal-fetal bonding during pregnancy. Gestational weeks 24-32 are crucial in the point of maternal-fetal bonding. Ultrasound examinations during pregnancy have shown to strengthen the early relationship between mother and fetus in every trimester, to diminish mother's anxiety, to improve mothers bonding to child and to guide mother towards healthier lifestyle. Mental images awaken emotional relationship to the child. It is possible to prevent the interference of the gestational process of forming mental images and to diminish the negative effects of gestational stress to the child by intervention, that further prevents the problems of the baby's first year. Psychological intervention, that supports the interaction between mother and child, combined to gestational ultrasound examination has not investigated before in pregnant women with risk to preterm birth, depressive symptoms or other mental symptoms.