engleski

Post-traumatic stress disorder and depression symptoms as mediators between childbirth experience and mother-baby bond

Background: Studies show that between 1% and 9% of women have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the traumatic childbirth experience. Although previous studies showed that PTSD and postpartum depression (PPD) symptoms have either a direct or indirect effect on mother-baby bond, childbirth experience was not examined with respect to the mother-baby bond. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the potential effects of childbirth experience on mother-baby bond through PTSD and PPD symptoms. Method: Two- hundred and forty-one mothers of infants aged 1 to 12 months completed online questionnaires. The booklet comprised Childbirth Perception Questionnaire (CPQ, subscale Satisfaction with Delivery) as a measure of childbirth experience, Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) as a measure of PTSD symptoms, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and Postnatal Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ). Results: Satisfaction with delivery had a direct effect on mother-baby bond. However, analysis of serial mediation, by PROCESS macro for SPSS (Hayes, 2013), showed that satisfaction also had an indirect effect on mother-baby bond through a serial mediation by PTSD and PPD symptoms. Moreover, PTSD symptoms did not have a direct effect on the mother-baby bond, but this effect was also mediated by PPD symptoms. Interpretation/Discussion: The complex relationship between childbirth experience, maternal mental health, and mother-baby bond should be further clarified by longitudinal studies, where other variables, such as infant characteristics and marital quality, should be taken into account. Conclusion: PTSD and PPD symptoms acted as serial mediators in a relationship between childbirth experience and mother-baby bond. Screening for poor maternal mental health and difficulties in early bonding, as well as early preventive programs, should be applied as part of perinatal mental health care.

PTSD, postpartum depression, childbirth, traumatic delivery, bonding

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