The aim of the present paper was to explore the role of partners for the stressful life events of birth and the transition to parenthood.In a first prospective longitudinal study (N = 304 dyads) we tested whether relationship quality positively predicted fewer interventions during labor and birth, a more positive birth experience, and better well-being during the first six weeks after birth. In a second study we surveyed mothers (N = 980; retrospective quasi-experimental design) who had given birth during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020 - some in the absence of their partners - to test the assumption that regardless of relationship quality, the presence of the partner was positively related to low-intervention births and the birth experience.The results of the longitudinal study (Study 1) could be integrated into a Single Indicator model. They revealed that a high relationship quality assessed between week 5 and week 25 of pregnancy had a positive effect on birth experience for the mother and on psychological well-being during the transition to parenthood for both mothers and fathers. Results of the retrospective quasi-experimental field study (Study 2) revealed that the continuous presence of the partner was associated with a higher probability of a low-intervention birth and a more positive birth experience. Presence of a partner for only part of the birth did not positively predict labor and birth, but did positively predict the birth experience. The effects were independent of relationship quality.The results of both studies highlight the importance of partners for psychological well-being during labor and birth and the transition to parenthood. 

/pdf/partner-support-and-relationship-quality-as-potential-f0v06hit.pdf

Partner support and relationship quality as potential resources for childbirth and the transition to parenthood

While the majority of research on postpartum depressive and anxious symptoms has focused on mothers, a growing body of research suggests a need to understand the role of the partner's health and relationship quality as predictors of postpartum maternal depression, while also better understanding correlates of partner or paternal depression in the postpartum period. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate mother and partner stress, anxiety, mood, infant care support, and relationship quality as predictors of perinatal depressive and anxious symptoms in first time mothers and partners during the postpartum hospital stay.First time parent couples (n = 116) completed a survey during the two-day postpartum stay in a Midwest hospital. Depressive (EPDS) and anxiety symptoms (DASS-21-Anxiety) were assessed in both mothers and partners. Hierarchical linear regression was used to evaluate relationship satisfaction, partner infant care support, stress, and co-parent mood as predictors of mood in mothers and partners separately.Stress was a predictor of anxiety and depression symptoms in both mothers and partners. Additionally, co-parent anxiety significantly predicted anxiety in both mothers and partners. Maternal relationship satisfaction was a predictor of the partner's depressive symptoms, and maternal perceptions of partner infant support predicted maternal depressive symptoms.Together, these results suggest that stress, relationship satisfaction, and co-parent mood are related to depressive and anxious symptoms in mothers and partner, underscoring the need to continue exploring mother and partner mental health in a dyadic framework. 

/pdf/psychosocial-predictors-of-early-postpartum-depressive-and-8p2sme7l.pdf

Psychosocial predictors of early postpartum depressive and anxious symptoms in primiparous women and their partners

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of postpartum anxiety and the factors influencing it, while also exploring the multiple mediating roles of related factors between social support and postpartum anxiety symptomatology among postpartum women in China. 

The multiple mediation model of social support and postpartum anxiety symptomatology: the role of resilience, postpartum stress, and sleep problems

The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in pregnant women tends to be most pronounced during the initial trimester and thereafter diminishes over the course of pregnancy, reaching its lowest point during the postpartum phase. This review examines the frequency, determinants, and physiological and psychological consequences of stress, anxiety, and depression during pregnancy. This highlights the need to understand mental health in expectant women and the unique characteristics of anxiety and depression, and also examines the interaction between hormonal, biological, psychological, and environmental components, as well as the potential influence of previous trauma on mental health during pregnancy and the physiological impact of stress on the mother’s body and the development of the fetus, emphasizing the possible outcomes for both the mother and the unborn child. The significance of the psychological consequences of anxiety and depression is underscored, emphasizing the imperative for timely identification and management. The review highlights the need to screen and evaluate stress, anxiety, and depression in expectant mothers, highlighting the necessity for a complete approach to maternal mental healthcare.

Perspective View of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression among Pregnant Women: A Review

Abstract Antenatal depression (AND) affects 1 in 10 fathers, potentially negatively impacting maternal mental health and well-being during and after the transition to parenthood. However, few studies have assessed the social predictors of paternal AND or their possible associations with maternal mental health. We analysed data from 180 couples participating in the Queensland Family Cohort longitudinal study. Both parents completed surveys measuring mental health, relationship quality, social support, and sleep quality at 24 weeks of pregnancy. Mothers also completed the same surveys 6 weeks’ postpartum. Antenatal depression, stress, and anxiety were highest among fathers reporting lower social support and higher sleep impairment. Maternal AND, stress, and anxiety were higher among mothers reporting higher physical pain and poor sleep quality. Postnatally, mothers reporting lower social support also reported higher depression, anxiety, stress, and psycho-social well-being. While there were no significant associations between AND among fathers and maternal antenatal or postnatal depression, an exploratory analysis revealed that mothers whose partners reported lower antenatal social support also reported lower postnatal social support and higher postnatal depression. Our findings highlight the importance of including data among fathers to achieve a whole family approach to well-being during the transition to parenthood. 

/pdf/the-social-predictors-of-paternal-antenatal-mental-health-3h8eqb09.pdf

The social predictors of paternal antenatal mental health and their associations with maternal mental health in the Queensland Family Cohort prospective study

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The social predictors of paternal antenatal mental health and their associations with maternal mental health in the Queensland Family Cohort prospective study