Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology最新文献

Background: Maternal stress and psychopathology have a negative effect on mothers and neonates. Maternal stress may affect neonatal growth and development both physically and psychologically.

Purpose: To study the impact of pandemic-related pregnancy stress and maternal psychopathological symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 on neonatal development.

Methods: A two-phase prospective study was carried out on a sample of 181 pregnant women ranged from 18 to 40 years old in Spain (Europe). Phase 1: Pandemic-related pregnancy stress (PREPS), Prenatal Distress Questionnaire (PDQ), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the revised version of the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90-R) were used to assess psychological symptoms during the lockdown. In the follow-up (Phase 2), obstetric, birth-related and anthropometric variables were collected from 81 pregnant women-neonates dyads.

Results: Primiparous women showed higher psychopathological symptoms and higher levels of pandemic-related pregnancy stress than multiparous women. A multiple linear regression model showed that pandemic-related pregnancy stress could predict the length of neonate by adjusting for maternal age and gestational age, especially for primiparous women.

Implications for research: Studies assessing neonates development should evaluate the long-term effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on neonates´ length.

Implications for practice: States the relation between pandemic-related pregnancy stress and neonatal development by being able to track the effects on neonates whose mothers had high levels of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Anxiety prior to caesarean section can lead to a negative birth experience, which may affect different aspects of woman's life in the long term. Improving preoperative information may result in lower anxiety leading to a more positive birth experience. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the impact of informational video before planned caesarean delivery on maternal anxiety and satisfaction.

Methods: Four different databases were searched from inception till March 2023. We selected randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared educational or informative videos about the aspects of the expected caesarean delivery process versus no preoperative information in the control group. No language restrictions were imposed. We used Revman software during performing our meta-analysis. Our main outcomes were preoperative and postoperative anxiety as well as maternal satisfaction post-procedure.

Results: Six RCTs were retrieved with a total number of 702 patients. Informative video significantly reduced the anxiety level before caesarean delivery in comparison with the control group (MD = -4.21, 95% CI [-5.46, -2.95], p<0001). Moreover, the postoperative anxiety level was significantly improved in the informational video group (MD = -4.71, 95% CI [-7.06, -2.36],   p<0001). In addition, there was a significant improvement in maternal satisfaction score after caesarean delivery among the informational video group (p = 0.001).

Conclusions: Informational video prior to caesarean delivery decreases preoperative and postoperative anxiety levels with improvement in maternal post-procedure satisfaction. However, the existing evidence is limited by several shortcomings, chiefly small sample size. More trials with larger sample size are required to confirm our findings.

Aims/background: Terminating a desired pregnancy due to foetal anomalies has been linked to significant distress. It is however less clear what long-term psychological implications the parents face in the aftermath. This systematic review aimed to explore the mental health outcomes of parents after the termination of pregnancy due to foetal anomaly (TOPFA) after gestational week 12 + 0.

Design/methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines and using the PEO (Problem, Exposure, Outcome) framework, we conducted a comprehensive search across six electronic databases. The search was restricted to English studies published since 2000. Eligible studies provided quantitative assessments of mental health outcomes post-TOPFA. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Given the heterogeneity in outcome measures, the findings were synthesised narratively.

Results: Of the 2261 papers identified, 11 studies (four cross-sectional and seven cohort studies) were included. Results demonstrated variations in symptoms of trauma-related stress, depressive symptoms, and grief reactions across the different studies post-TOPFA. Variations were found to be related to time since TOPFA and the difference in assessment tools used. Factors investigated as predictors of mental health outcomes, including gestational age, educational level, and religion, showed inconsistent findings, though partner support consistently correlated with lower levels of grief. Male partners, included in two studies, generally reported fewer symptoms of psychological distress.

Conclusion: This review explores a range of mental health outcomes and highlights the need for better quality studies that consider the psychological impact of TOPFA on partners. Further, this systematic review stresses the need of standardisation in measurement tools for assessing mental health symptoms.

Objective: Pregnancy and childbirth are related to the experience of distress at their core. However, this distress is significantly increased under war conditions. The study aims to examine the perinatal experience of women during the war in Ukraine.

Methods: 12 Ukrainian women who were pregnant and lived in Kyiv or the suburbs of Kyiv from February to May 2022 took part in the study. In-depth interviews were conducted online in the form of semi-structured interviews, and the thematic analysis technique was used.

Results: The perinatal experiences of women during the war in Ukraine were divided into 2 basic groups: negative perinatal experiences and positive perinatal experiences during the war. The negative perinatal experiences were grouped into three main themes: 1) negative emotions experienced in association with war, 2) dissatisfaction with medical support during the war, 3) suffering associated with separation from a husband and relatives. The positive perinatal experiences include 6 main themes: 1) the joy of returning or/and staying home, 2) satisfaction with medical support during the war, 3) coping with stress during the war, 4) family relationships and support during the war, 5) positive attitudes towards the child (or unborn child), 6) patriotic sentiments.

Conclusion: The study revealed negative and positive aspects of the perinatal experience of Ukrainian women during the war. Providing access to medical advice, facilitating uncertainty reduction, and communication between women and their families contribute to positive perinatal experiences of pregnant women and new mothers during the war.

Purpose: This paper explores the impact of stillbirth among men in Israeli society, which is marked by strong pronatalist norms. It sought to evaluate the impact of perceived social expectations and interactions with family, friends, and healthcare providers on the experience of problematic levels of grief among men experiencing stillbirth.

Methods: Thirty men after stillbirth were interviewed using semi-structured interviews and transcripts, which were analysed using the phenomenological approach.

Results: Four core themes were identified. The first theme exposes the discrepancy between men's pain on the one hand and the lack of awareness towards them on the other. The second theme found that not only is the attention of others directed almost exclusively towards their partners, men are expected to take on complex and demanding roles related to the loss. The lack of recognition, coupled with the need to perform the roles imposed upon them, seems to cause men to suppress their grief. The third theme was the lack of support from their parents, underlining their need for empathy and recognition in this family-oriented society. The fourth theme focused on the need for an emotional space of their own, in which they could be seen and listened to.

Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that many most interviewees (25 out of 30) focused on their spouse's grief and recovery, diminishing their own remorse while receiving little recognition and support. Our findings may contribute to the overarching understanding of this particular kind of loss, and promote the creation of specially targeted interventions.

Fear of childbirth (FOC), or tokophobia, can influence several medical and obstetric variables, and is a significant predictor of maternal and mental health outcomes and birth experiences. Current practice in the UK does not include initial screening for tokophobia, rather, assessment and support occur under extreme circumstances e.g. maternal requests for caesarean sections or pregnancy termination requests in order to avoid childbirth. Moreover, while there are several candidate outcome measures for FOC, none have been evaluated in terms of their perceived suitability by specialist practitioners within perinatal healthcare pathways. The present study explores the perceived barriers and facilitators reported by health professionals working within the maternity and mental health services for the use of FOC candidate outcome measures. Evaluated measures included the Fear of Birth Scale, the Oxford Worries about Labour Scale, The Wijma Delivery Expectancy Scale, the Slade-Pais Expectations of Childbirth Scale the Tokophobia Severity Scale. The Tokophobia Severity Scale, followed by the Slade-Pais Expectations of Childbirth Scales were the most favourable scales selected for use according to clinicians. The identification of preferred scales and how they can be used in the local maternity system is a step towards the application of these consistently in clinical practice, to aid in the identification and assessment of FOC. The use of the correct tool at each stage of contact with the local maternity system will improve clinician confidence in the identification of FOC and facilitate the efficient implementation of treatment and support through the development of pathways of care.

Background and aim: PTSD after childbirth is a significant but often under-recognised mental health problem. This systematic review aims to examine the measures used to assess childbirth-related PTSD (CB-PTSD) and posttraumatic stress symptoms (CB-PTSS) in mothers in the first year postpartum and to evaluate their psychometric properties.

Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search of multiple databases and grey literature sources was conducted. Studies that involved mothers in the first year postpartum and reported measures of CB-PTSD and/or CB-PTSS were included. Quality assessment was based on the CASP Checklist.

Results: 149 studies met the inclusion criteria. Self-report questionnaires, particularly the IES and its revisions, were the most commonly used measurement instruments. In recent years, however, specialised instruments such as the City Birth Trauma Scale have emerged that were developed specifically for assessing CB-PTSD. Psychometric properties varied from study to study, with some lacking detailed information on validity and reliability.

Conclusion: The results emphasises the importance of using validated and tailored tools for the assessment of CB-PTSD. Whilst self-report questionnaires remain widely used, the development and use of specialised instruments such as the City BiTS provide greater precision in the assessment of CB-PTSD symptoms. Future research should focus on refining measurement tools, conducting longitudinal studies to explore symptom trajectories, and investigating the effectiveness of early intervention strategies. By refining measurement methods and intervention approaches, clinicians can better support mothers with CB-PTSD and ultimately fostering improve the mental health outcomes for both mothers and their families.

Objective: The Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) is a self-report questionnaire designed to screen disorders of the mother-infant relationship. The PBQ was adapted to several countries, though there is no agreement on the accepted number of items and factors. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Hebrew version for both mothers and fathers.

Methods: Participants (602 mothers and 144 fathers) from two separate samples were randomly recruited in the maternity ward of a large tertiary health centre. The mothers' samples were combined and redivided to form subsamples A and B. At T1 (1-4 days postpartum), the participants completed demographic questionnaire in person the PBQ and the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) were administered online at T2 (8-12 weeks postpartum). The PBQ was also administrated at T3 (six-months).

Results: EFA on subsample A resulted in a two-factor structure, which was tested using CFA on subsample B. The model's fit was very good; χ(35)² = 83.68, p < .001, CFI = .97, TLI = .91, RMSEA = .07, SRMR = .03. Additional reliability and validity analyses showed a very good fit for mothers. Scalar measurement invariance across mothers and fathers yielded satisfactory results. CFA among fathers, revealed adequate goodness of fit; χ²/df = 87.65/46, p < .001, CFI = .95, TLI = .89, RMSEA = .08, SRMR = .05.

Conclusions: The Hebrew version of the PBQ demonstrated satisfactory validity for both mothers and fathers. The revised version, with 14 items, measures bonding as a continuum rather than measuring bonding disorders like the original version. These findings emphasise the importance of validating the scale in different cultural contexts.

Introduction: Mother's bond to the infant in the postpartum period plays an important role in the subsequent mother-infant relationship and the infant's socio-emotional functioning. Several maternal characteristics, such as attachment style and psychological flexibility, may contribute to the quality of mother-infant bonding, though literature examining these variables is still scarce. The present study aimed to examine the impact of mother's attachment on mother-infant bonding in the first month postpartum and the mediating role of psychological flexibility on that association.

Methods: Participants were 226 mothers of an infant up to 9 months old, who reported on their own attachment style (in terms of anxiety, comfort with proximity, trust in others), psychological flexibility (in terms of openness to experience, behavioural awareness, valued action) and mother-infant bonding.

Results: Results showed that mother's attachment anxiety predicted a bond with the infant directly and indirectly via mother's psychological flexibility, specifically through behavioural awareness and valued action. Trust in others had an impact on mother-infant bonding through behavioural awareness, whereas comfort with proximity influenced mother-infant bond indirectly, via valued action. Finally, mothers' civil status, schooling and number of children were relevant to better understand the variance of our mediating and dependent variables.

Discussion: Our findings highlight the importance of mother's attachment and psychological flexibility in promoting the quality of mother-infant bonding, which can inform future intervention programmes targeting modifiable factors, such as psychological flexibility, to promote early positive parent-infant relationships, particularly for single, first-time mothers, with higher levels of education.