Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Family Medicine

The physiological effects of oxytocin in early postpartum period are likely linked to regulating attachment behaviors that promote maternal infant bonding. Maternal-infant bonding is an affective maternal-driven process that occurs primarily to her infant. Prophylactic interventions or treatment of disordered bonding include infant massage. This study is a non - randomized interventional study carried out on 37 pairs of mothers and their infants from 2nd to 6th month postpartum, attending Basateen Gharb primary health care center in Albasateen district, Cairo city. Main objectives of the study were to assess the relation between salivary oxytocin and maternal-infant bonding and to determine the effect of infant massage on salivary oxytocin level of both mothers and their infant. Secondary objectives were to screen for depression, anxiety and stress, and to determine their correlation with maternal infant bonding. Used tools include: Arabic version of section 2 and 7 of Stafford Interview for Maternal Mental Health 6th edition, Arabic version of Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ), Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS). Pre massage salivary samples were taken from mother and infant then Tappan{u2019}s technique of infant massage was performed by the motheron her infant under guidance of the researcher. Post massage salivary samples were taken from mother and infant. Results showed that 48.6% (N=18) of mothers had disordered maternal infant bonding. Mothers and infants with normal bonding showed a significant positive correlation between maternal and infant salivary oxytocin level pre and post massage. On the other hand, there were no significant correlations between salivary oxytocin level pre and post massage in mothers or infants of mothers with disordered bonding.Salivary oxytocin level in male infants has decreased significantly following massage while oxytocin level in female infant has increased following massage in mothers with normal bonding.Depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms were significantly more prevalent in mothers with disordered bonding. We concluded that salivary oxytocin is correlated with maternal infant bonding and its level in both mother and infant will potentially change following infant massage inthe mother infant dyad with normal bonding

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