Association of Infertility Treatment with Perception of Infant Crying, Bonding Impairment and Abusive Behavior towards One’s Infant: A Propensity-Score Matched Analysis

Abstract

Background: Although previous qualitative studies suggested the link between infertility treatment and negative emotions towards infants, few empirical population-based studies have investigated the association of infertility treatment with the perception of infant crying, bonding impairment, and abusive behavior towards one’s infant. Methods: Women who participated in a four month health-checkup program in Aichi Prefecture, Japan (n = 6590) were asked to a complete a questionnaire that included infertility treatment history, perception of infant crying, maternal–infant bonding impairment assessed by the Mother to Infant Bonding Scale Japanese version, and abusive behavior towards one’s infant. Outcomes were dichotomized, and a conditional logistic regression was applied, using the propensity score match for infertility treatment exposure adjusted for known covariates. Results: A total of 690 participants (11.1%) reported infertility treatment history, and 625 cases were matched. We found that mothers with infertility treatment history were 1.36 times more likely to perceive a higher frequency of infant crying (95% confidence interval (CI):1.05–1.78), but no association with maternal–infant bonding impairment (odds ratio (OR): 1.18; 95% CI: 0.81–1.72) and abusive behavior towards the infant (OR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.49–1.36). Conclusions: Infertility treatment may be associated with the perception of a higher frequency of infant crying, but it is not associated with bonding impairment and abusive behavior. Further longitudinal study is needed to replicate the findings.