Objective: To evaluate whether caesarean delivery before 26 weeks of gestation was associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety in mothers in comparison with deliveries between 26 and 34 weeks.
Design: Prospective national population-based EPIPAGE-2 cohort study.
Setting: 268 neonatology departments in France, March to December 2011.
Population: Mothers who delivered between 22 and 34 weeks and whose self-reported symptoms of depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale: CES-D) and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory: STAI) were assessed at the moment of neonatal discharge.
Methods: The association of caesarean delivery before 26 weeks with severe symptoms of depression (CES-D ≥16) and anxiety (STAI ≥45) was assessed by weighted and design-based log-linear regression model.
Main outcome measures: Severe symptoms of depression and anxiety in mothers of preterm infants.
Results: Among the 2270 women completing CES-D and STAI questionnaires at the time of neonatal discharge, severe symptoms of depression occurred in 25 (65.8%) women having a caesarean before 26 weeks versus in 748 (50.6%) women having a caesarean after 26 weeks. Caesarean delivery before 26 weeks was associated with severe symptoms of depression compared with caesarean delivery after 26 weeks (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 1.42, 95% CI 1.12-1.81) adjusted to neonatal birthweight and severe neonatal morbidity among other factors. There was no evidence of an association between mode of delivery and symptoms of anxiety.
Conclusions: Mothers having a caesarean delivery before 26 weeks' gestation are at high risk of symptoms of depression and may benefit from specific preventive care.
Tweetable abstract: Mothers having caesarean delivery before 26 weeks' gestation are at high risk of symptoms of depression.
Keywords: Anxiety; caesarean; depression; extreme prematurity; patient involvement; prematurity.
© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.