Objective: Pregnancy requires thorough monitoring and management because not only is it a time where normal physiological and psychological changes put a mother under stress and strain, but maternal sensitivity begins to develop, and the developing foetus needs a well regulated intrauterine environment. Such important processes can be compromised by abnormal or inconsistent physiological and emotional regulation. The study aimed to explore pregnant women’s regulation capacity at rest and their physiological reactivity, and return to physiological baseline, in response to infant related stimuli. Methods: Extended analyses of previously acquired psycho-physiological data at baseline, and pre- and post-presentation of relevant audio-visual stimuli. Results: Baseline physiological activity was significantly different between pregnant participants and controls. There were, however, no other differences in reactivity. Conclusion: Findings were inconsistent with previous research which indicates infant stimuli to become increasingly salient throughout pregnancy.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:676417 |
| Date | January 2015 |
| Creators | Curtis, Hannah |
| Contributors | O'Mahen, Heather ; Karl, Anke |
| Publisher | University of Exeter |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://hdl.handle.net/10871/18328 |
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