Pregnancy in the context of HIV/ AIDS is usually accompanied by intense anxiety due to the possibility of mother-to-child HIV transmission. This study investigated the maternal-fetal attachment in pregnant mothers living with HIV/AIDS (n = 88), compared to pregnant mothers without HIV (n = 79), considering their answers to the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale. The results showed no differences on maternal-fetal attachment among the participants. However, findings show a peculiar way of maternal-fetal attachment among pregnant mothers living with HIV/AIDS. Mother-baby interactions seem to focus more on the present moment, and the baby health care in pregnancy is linked to the mother HIV treatment. The scale might not be sensitive enough to find differences associated with the context of HIV/AIDS. Further studies are important to review the scale items in order to get closer to the peculiarities related to HIV and maternal-fetal attachment.
maternal fetal relations; pregnancy; HIV
