Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology最新文献

Aims/background: Coping with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) presents significant challenges for pregnant women and their partners, which may result in elevated prenatal depression symptoms. However, research has predominantly centred on pregnant women with GDM, with little involvement of their partners. To understand their dyadic interactions, it is imperative to involve GDM couples in the study. This study aims to examine the interplay between dyadic coping and prenatal depression symptoms among GDM couples and to explore the possible mediating role of marital satisfaction.

Design/method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Guangzhou, China. A total of 400 couples completed the Dyadic Coping Inventory, Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Scale, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and sociodemographic data sheet. The actor-partner interdependence mediation model was utilised for dyadic data analysis.

Results: Overall, 13.0% of pregnant women with GDM and 8.3% of partners experienced elevated prenatal depression symptoms. Dyadic coping was directly or indirectly related to their own and partners' prenatal depression symptoms in GDM couples, with marital satisfaction acting as a mediator. Specifically, positive dyadic coping was associated with lower prenatal depression symptoms, while negative dyadic coping exhibited an opposite relationship.

Conclusion: The prevalence of elevated prenatal depression symptoms was high in GDM couples. It is important to view pregnant women with GDM and their partners as a dyad of a transactional system in prenatal clinical care. Couple-centred interventions targeting to enhance positive dyadic coping and mitigate negative dyadic coping might be beneficial to prevent and alleviate prenatal depression symptoms.

Aims/background: Routine third-trimester ultrasonography is increasingly conducted to screen for foetal growth restriction (FGR) and reduce adverse perinatal and child neurodevelopmental outcomes using timely obstetric management. While it did not reduce adverse perinatal outcomes in previous trials, evidence regarding its association with child neurodevelopmental outcome is absent. We examined whether routine third-trimester ultrasonography is positively associated with child developmental and behavioural/emotional outcomes compared to usual care.

Design/methods: Dutch mothers with a low-risk pregnancy participating in a subsample (n = 1070) of a nationwide cluster-randomised trial reported infant (age 6 months) and toddler (age 28 months) developmental milestones (Ages and Stages Questionnaire) and toddlers' internalising and externalising problems (Child Behavior Checklist). Usual care (n = 380) comprised selective ultrasonography. The intervention strategy (n = 690) included two routine third-trimester ultrasounds next to usual care. Both strategies applied the same interdisciplinary protocol for FGR detection and management.

Results: Adjusted linear mixed-level regressions revealed that routine third-trimester ultrasonography was positively but modestly related to z-standardised infant developmental milestones at 6-month follow-up, B = 0.20, 95%CI [0.07; 0.32], p = 0.003, compared to usual care. At 28-month follow-up, these strategies did not differ in child developmental outcome and internalising and externalising problems.

Conclusion: Routine third-trimester ultrasonography was positively but modestly associated with infant development. In toddlerhood, routine ultrasonography was not related to child developmental and behavioural/emotional outcomes. Overall, these findings do not support the implementation of routine third-trimester ultrasonography for low-risk pregnant women for reasons concerning children's early neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Aims/background: Although the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Scale - also referred to as the Pregnancy-Related Thoughts Scale (PRT) - is one of the most widely utilised measures of pregnancy-related anxiety (PrA), there is limited research exploring its factor structure and psychometric properties. The present study sought to (a) explore the factor structure of the PRT and (b) examine whether specific dimensions of PrA differentially predict postpartum outcomes.

Design/methods: A community sample of pregnant women (N = 159) was recruited from a Midwestern city in the United States and completed the PRT alongside other self-report measures of stress and maternal health and mood during pregnancy. Participants also completed measures of maternal health and mood, as well as parenting/infant outcomes, at 1- and 6-months postpartum.

Results: Results provided support for a bifactor model with two unique dimensions of the PRT capturing baby- and self-focused concerns, respectively. Maternal self-focused PrA uniquely predicted postpartum internalising problems (β = .22), worse physical health (β = -.27), and impaired mother-infant bonding (β = .19) when controlling for baby-focused and general PrA.

Conclusion: Findings highlight the utility of screening for specific dimensions of PrA to promote both maternal and infant wellbeing following childbirth. Specifically, evidence suggests that screening for self-focused PrA, above and beyond baby-focused PrA, might facilitate prevention and intervention efforts and allow researchers to better understand antecedents and consequences of unique facets of PrA.

Aims/background: Transition to parenthood is a complex and challenging situation not only for mothers but also for fathers. In this process, fathers' feelings, thoughts and experiences are very important. This study aims to understand fathers' feelings, thoughts and experiences in the early postpartum period.

Design/methods: The descriptive phenomenological design was used in this study. Data were collected from 13 fathers through in-depth interviews. The content analysis method was used in data analysis.

Results: The following three themes were identified regarding the experiences of fathers in the early postpartum period: 'need for support', 'difficulties of being a father' and 'recommendations'. The fathers had more needs and inadequate support in their transition to the fatherhood role.

Conclusion: All these results suggest that they faced many challenges in the early postpartum period. Sleep deprivation, being tired, having a restricted social life and increased responsibilities, and experiencing postpartum psychological fluctuations were some of these difficulties. In order to overcome these difficulties, they needed financial and moral support. The fathers who participated in the present study stated that they did not receive enough training and support from healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals should keep in mind that not only of mothers and babies but also of fathers have needs to be met.

Background: The mother-child bond may be related to maternal health, especially postpartum depression (PPD). Existing studies show the need for further in-depth research on the subject.

Aim: To determine the relationship between bonding and the probability of the development and presence of PPD in women with a biological child between 6 weeks and 18 months of age.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A questionnaire containing sociodemographic, psychosocial, and health variables referring to the mother and the newborn, a questionnaire measuring the mother-child bond (VAMF-bond), and the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EDPS) were administered.

Results: 1114 women participated. The association between the items of the VAMF-bond subscale and the risk of PPD was statistically significant for all items (p < 0.05), except items 4 and 10. The multivariate analysis showed that the risk of PPD (EPDS scale) was lower in women with higher scores on bond (Adjusted Odds Ratio: aOR = 0.85; 95%CI: 0.81, 0.88), whose birth experience was good or very good (aOR = 0.57; 95%CI: 0.36, 0.89), who received high or very high support from their partner (aOR = 0.34; 95%CI: 0.18, 0.66), and family (aOR = 0.53; 95%CI: 0.32, 0.86). The presence of PPD was less frequent in women who presented higher scores for bond (aOR = 0.90; 95%CI: 0.84, 0.97), who had skin-to-skin contact (aOR = 0.39; 95%CI: 0.17, 0.93) and who received high or very high support from the family (aOR = 0.36; 95%CI: 0.12, 1.04).

Conclusions: High scores on the subscale VAMF-bond were associated with a lower risk of PPD.

Background: Paternal postnatal depression (PPND) is a critical mental health issue that may harm family members' health and relationships. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) is the most common self-reported questionnaire for postnatal depression screening among mothers and fathers worldwide. However, identifying fathers with postnatal depression and determining the related factors have been neglected in some countries.

Aims: The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of PPND and then to identify its predictive demographic and reproductive factors. Two cut-off points (10 and 12) for the EPDS were used to detect PPND.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 eligible fathers selected via multistage sampling. Data were collected using a demographic checklist and the EPDS.

Results: None of the participants had previously been screened for PPND. The mean age of the participants was 35.53 ± 5.47 years, and most of them were self-employed and had university degrees. The prevalence of PPND was 24.5% and 16.3% using the EPDS cut-off scores 10 and 12, respectively. An unwanted pregnancy and an abortion history were the predictors of PPND at both EPDS cut-off scores, with gravidity and the number of abortions also being associated with PPND at the cut-off score of 10.

Conclusion: In line with the related literature, our results revealed a fairly high prevalence of PPND and its related factors. This indicates the need for a screening program for fathers during the postnatal period to detect and adequately manage PPND and prevent its adverse effects.

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the attitudes, behaviours and experiences of infertile women towards sexuality.

Methods: This study was carried out in the infertility outpatient clinic of a state hospital in Istanbul of Turkey. Fifteen infertile women who had been receiving primary infertility treatment for at least two years and were actively continuing infertility treatment were included in the study. Data were collected by means of an detailed information form and a semi-structured interview. Content analysis was applied to the data obtained from semi-structured interviews. Consistency percentage calculation was made between the codes and themes determined by 4 researchers who are experts in their fields.

Results: Results based on the interviews with the participants, 2 main themes, 6 sub-themes and 27 codes related to sub-themes were determined as 'Factors Affecting Sexual Life' and 'Overview of Sexual Health and Sexuality'. 'Disappointment' was determined as the most commonly defined code in the determined main theme and sub-themes.

Conclusion: It was determined that the majority of infertile women base their sexual lives on reproductive functions, experience serious sexual health problems, feel worthless, and describe their sexual life as a great disappointment.