Vínculo prenatal y su relación con aspectos afectivos y contextuales en mujeres embarazadas

INTRODUCTION. Prenatal bonding refers to the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral experiences a mother develops toward her baby during pregnancy, constituting a key precursor of postnatal bonding. Evidence suggests that prenatal bonding can be influenced by affective and contextual factors, such as depressive symptoms, maternal attachment style, relationship satisfaction, and sociodemographic variables. OBJECTIVE. To examine the association between prenatal bonding and affective, personal, and contextual variables in pregnant women. METHOD. This cross-sectional and correlational study included 151 pregnant women from Quito, Ecuador, assessed during the third trimester using intentional sampling. Validated instruments were used to measure prenatal bonding, depressive symptoms, maternal attachment, and relationship satisfaction. Linear regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS. Prenatal bonding showed a positive association with secure maternal attachment style and higher satisfaction with the partner relationship. It also demonstrated a negative association with depressive symptoms, which emerged as the strongest predictor of prenatal bonding, reducing the explanatory contribution of other variables. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. Findings highlight the importance of maternal mental health and the affective context in the development of prenatal bonding, emphasizing the need for preventive perinatal interventions.