Postpartum Maternal Emotional Disorders and the Physical Health of Mother and Child

Cristina Dragomir; Roxana Popescu; Monica Alisa Jurca; Ruxandra Laza; Roxana Ivan Florian; Ion Dragomir; Romeo Negrea; Marius Craina; Cristina Adriana Dehelean

doi:10.2147/PRBM.S382073

Postpartum Maternal Emotional Disorders and the Physical Health of Mother and Child

Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2022 Oct 7:15:2927-2940. doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S382073. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Cristina Dragomir¹, Roxana Popescu^{2

3}, Monica Alisa Jurca⁴, Ruxandra Laza⁵, Roxana Ivan Florian⁶, Ion Dragomir⁷, Romeo Negrea⁸, Marius Craina⁹, Cristina Adriana Dehelean^{10

11}

Affiliations

¹ Doctoral School, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania.
² Department II - Microscopic Morphology, Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania.
³ ANAPATMOL Research Center, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania.
⁴ County Emergency Clinical Hospital "Pius Brinzeu", Timisoara, Romania.
⁵ Department XIII, Discipline of Infectious Disease, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania.
⁶ Dynata Company, Timisoara, Romania.
⁷ Individual Family Medical Office, Ostroveni, Dolj, Romania.
⁸ Department of Mathematics, Polytechnica University of Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania.
⁹ Department XII - Obstetrics-Gynecology, Discipline of Obstetrics-Gynecology III, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania.
¹⁰ Department of Toxicology and Drug Industry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara "Victor Babes", Timișoara, Romania.
¹¹ FARMATOX Research Centre for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluation, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes", Timisoara, Romania.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the relationships between postpartum emotional manifestations and various neonatal variables, as well as variables within this category, in the context of hospitalization together after birth.

Patients and methods: Between 1 March 2020 and 1 September 2020, a cross-sectional research design was used including mother-child couples (112 mothers, 121 newborns - 13 twins/triplets).

Results: Using a t-test for independent samples, we observed: a) the symptoms of depression were more severe in mothers of newborns hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) [t(110) = 4.334)], provided oxygen therapy [t(109.99) = 3.162], born prematurely [t(110) = 3.157], or with adjustment disorders [t(109) = -2.947] (p < 0.01); b) a similar, for anxiety as a state [t(82.38) = 5.251], t(107.29) = 4.523, t(110) = 3.416, t(109) = -3.268, p < 0.01], and as a trait was more common [t(80.79) = 4.501, t(108.790) = 4.669, t(109) = -3.268, p < 0.001] compared to other mothers. Using Pearson's test (p < 0.001), several very strong correlations were observed between neonatal variables, including number (no.) of days of hospitalization with birth weight (BW) (r = -0.802), head circumference (HC) (r = -0.822), and gestational age (GA) (r = -0.800) and the mother's postpartum anxiety as a state/trait (r = 0.770). Using Poisson regression, it was observed that anxiety as a state (Λ = 0.020, z = 4.029, p < 0.001) and as a trait (Λ = 0.800, z = 6.160, p < 0.001) stimulated the intensity of symptoms of postpartum depression (optimal models).

Conclusion: Postpartum maternal psychological manifestations were associated with NICU hospitalization, pathology, and some neonatal therapies. We also noticed, that the duration of hospitalization, BW, HC, and GA, were correlated with maternal emotional disorders. Results will facilitate future optimization of birth management and postnatal care.

Keywords: anxiety as a state; anxiety as a trait; attachment; newborn at risk; postpartum depression symptoms; prematurity.

Grants and funding

There is no funding to report.