Acute stress reactions in the first 3 weeks postpartum: a study of 219 parturients

OBJECTIVES: There is increasing research on posttraumatic stress (PS) 4-6 weeks and 3 months postpartum, but, there are no data on acute stress reactions (ASR) in the first 3 weeks postpartum, i.e. the potential precursors of PS. However, ASR may have long-term effects, e.g., on a subsequent pregnancy without having manifested as PS in the meantime. We propose: (i) to describe the patterns of ASR after childbirth, (ii) to explore differences between women with normal and traumatogenic ASR, and (iii) to provide data on the early detection of traumatogenic ASR 2 and 3 weeks postpartum. STUDY DESIGN: Intra-event variables (relationship with caregivers, overall birth experience, and dissociative experiences, as well as obstetric variables) were assessed 48-96 h. postpartum, as were ASR (by means of the Impact-of-Event Scale IES) in weeks 1, 2, and 3 postpartum. According to research on PS the upper 33%-range of ASR in weeks 2 and 3 was defined as 'traumatogenic'. RESULTS: Normal ASR in week 1 are at a level which in non-obstetric trauma-situations is considered as the upper range of low stress or lower range of medium distress. ASR decline constantly from week 1 to week 3. However, high ASR in week 1 do not drop faster than do low ones, thus indicating a prolonged stress reaction in women with high ASR in week 1. Low ASR (IES-scores <10) and high ASR (IES-scores >20) in week 1 are highly predictive for normal ASR, and traumatogenic ASR in weeks 2 and 3, respectively. Medium ASR (IES-scores 10-20) in week 1 are of uncertain predictive value for stress reactions in weeks 2 and 3 and have to be re-assessed at that time. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical screening for ASR appears to be helpful in detecting women with a compromised ability to process childbirth-related stress. The association between ASR and long-term development should be further explored.     

Risk and protective factors for antepartum and postpartum depression: a prospective study

Introduction: Antepartum risk and protective factors for postpartum depression (PPD; the most common mental disorder after childbirth besides postpartum anxiety), have been frequently investigated in cross-sectional studies, but less often longitudinally. This study examined linear and moderator effects of risk and protective factors for peripartum depression. First, we investigated the predictive power of risk factors (physical problems during pregnancy, pregnancy-related anxiety, stressful life events, dysfunctional self-consciousness (DSC)) and protective factors (resilience, social support) for antepartum depression (APD) and PPD. Second, as DSC plays an important role in major depression, we examined whether the protective factors moderate the association between the risk factors DSC and APD as well as PPD.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study with three measurement time points: six weeks antepartum (N?=?297), as well as six weeks (N?=?278) and twelve weeks (N?=?266) postpartum. Direct and moderator effects on APD were analyzed using hierarchical regression analysis. Moderated mediation effects were investigated to explore whether the indirect, long-term effect of DSC on PPD six weeks after birth (PPD-6) and PPD twelve weeks after birth (PPD-12) is moderated by resilience.

Results: Predictors for APD were high DSC, high concerns about one’s appearance, low resilience and low social support. Resilience buffered (weakened) the impact of DSC on APD and affected PPD-6 and PPD-12 indirectly through APD.

Discussion: The results suggest that PPD-12 is influenced directly and indirectly through PPD-6 by APD, but that this effect depends upon risk and protective factors, especially on the combined effects of resilience and DSC. The key finding of our study is the moderating (i.e. weakening) effect of resilience on the relationship between DSC and depression. Resilience and DSC may be an important issue for depression prevention and treatment programs in the peripartum period.     

'A stronger and clearer perception of self'. Women's experience of being professional patients in teaching the pelvic examination: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVES: To identify and describe the experience of being a professional patient (PP) in teaching the pelvic examination (PE). DESIGN: Qualitative study using in-depth interviews. SETTING: Participant's home, place of work or other place of choice. POPULATION: Thirteen female PPs who teach the PE to medical students and student midwives. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews analysed with an interpretive phenomenological approach. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Five themes were identified during the analysis: 'embodied knowledge', 'promoting a proper approach', 'redrawing private boundaries', 'feeling confident' and 'doing something meaningful'. The essence 'experience of stronger and clearer perception of self' emerged from the themes and is the described structure of the lived experience of the women who are PP. CONCLUSIONS: Being a PP in this setting was beneficial for the women. They acquired increased knowledge about their bodies and PE procedure, which led to a new awareness of their own body. Contributing to students' learning in such an intimate examination procedure was rewarding and increased self-esteem.