ArticleMedicine2026
A scientometric analysis and visualization of prenatal attachment research: A global perspective.
Article in Medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPrenatal attachment plays an important role in shaping early parent-infant relationships and maternal psychological adaptation. However, the intellectual structure, collaborative patterns, research hotspots, and thematic evolution of prenatal attachment research have not been systematically characterized. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive scientometric overview of global prenatal attachment research.
methodsPublications related to prenatal attachment were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection from database inception to December 31, 2024. Only English-language articles and reviews were included. The Joinpoint Regression Program was used to objectively identify changes in annual publication trends, while CiteSpace 6.2.R6, VOSviewer 1.6.20, and Scimago Graphica were used to analyze collaboration networks, co-citation patterns, keyword co-occurrence, keyword clustering, and burst terms.
resultsA total of 470 publications from 58 countries/regions were included. Joinpoint regression identified 1 statistically supported change point in 2014 (95% confidence interval: 2012-2016). Annual publication output increased slowly from 1978 to 2014 and accelerated markedly from 2014 to 2024. The United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia occupied central positions in the international collaboration network, whereas publication output and citation impact were not always aligned across countries and institutions. Keyword and co-citation analyses revealed a shift from conceptualization and measurement development toward psychosocial risk factors, high-risk populations, paternal involvement, and technology-assisted approaches.
conclusionThis scientometric analysis delineates the developmental trajectory, collaborative landscape, intellectual base, and emerging themes of prenatal attachment research. The findings suggest that the field has expanded from early conceptualization and measurement validation toward broader topics involving psychosocial factors, high-risk populations, paternal involvement, and technology-related approaches. Future studies should strengthen cross-regional collaboration, adopt longitudinal and population-specific designs, and rigorously evaluate emerging interventions before drawing clinical conclusions.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.