The relationship of obstetric ultrasound to parent and infant behavior.

There is inconsistency in the obstetric literature regarding the relationship between the mother's knowledge of fetal health gained by ultrasound and maternal psychological attachment to the fetus. To evaluate the relationship more precisely, this study assessed variables of physician-patient interaction, parental mental health in pregnancy and infancy, and 3-month infant and parent behavior. The results show that maternal mental health scores increased as a function of the stress associated with an "at risk" pregnancy necessitating ultrasound assessment. As the parent received more definitive information, scores on measures of anxiety, depression, and hostility decreased. There was no significant relationship, however, between definitive information gained through ultrasound and later parent and infant behavior in play interaction. Shifts in fetal and neonatal health status and the positive interaction between physician and parent suggest the need for further analysis.