The Missing Link in Maternal Adaptation During Pregnancy: Interoception, Bodily Experience, Psychological Wellbeing, and Maternal–Fetal Connection

AbstractBackground: Pregnancy is a period of profound physiological and psychological adaptation. Interoception—the perception and interpretation of internal bodily signals—offers a framework for examining how bodily change becomes maternal experience.Objective: To map pregnancy-specific evidence linking interoceptive processes with bodily experience, psychological wellbeing, and maternal–fetal connection, and to identify implications for midwifery research and care.Methods: A scoping-review framework was used to organize the literature according to PRISMA-ScR principles. Pregnancy-specific original studies were distinguished from broader conceptual evidence. No screening counts or PRISMA-flow numbers are reported in this master draft because a reproducible database screening log has not yet been finalized.Results: Verified pregnancy-specific studies indicate associations between interoceptive sensibility and body satisfaction, anxiety-related symptoms, antenatal attachment, and perception of fetal movement. The literature remains heterogeneous and is dominated by observational and self-report approaches; therefore, causal and clinical claims are not warranted.Conclusion: Interoception is a promising framework for understanding individual differences in maternal adaptation. It may complement, rather than replace, physiological assessment by foregrounding maternal bodily experience.

کلیدواژه ها:

Interoception ، Pregnancy ، Maternal adaptation ، Body awareness ، Maternal wellbeing ، Antenatal attachment ، Midwifery