In the presence of physical and psychological disturbances in the postpartum period, perceived social support is often regarded as a protective factor in women's mental health. This work evaluates the psychometric properties of the French version of a questionnaire widely used internationally to measure perceived social support, which has not been yet validated in French: the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). This study collected data from 148 women (30.5 ± 5.12 years) who agreed to complete the MSPSS and a scale assessing symptoms of postpartum depression (Edinburgh Post-Natal Depression Scale, EPDS) 1 and 4 months after childbirth. The results confirm the original three-factor structure of the scale. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients are excellent. The total scale score is correlated with all three dimensions and a significantly negative correlation is found between MSPSS and EPDS. The results suggest that the French tool has generally good internal reliability. The MSPSS can provide useful data helping to identify French-speaking people at risk for negative feelings (e.g., mood disorders of perinatal period).

Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the experience of premature infants' mothers, the way they are taken care of, how they cope with this traumatic experience as well as the psychopathological and psychosocial consequences post delivery. Method: A qualitative and quantitative study was carried out on 27 women from the south of France area who delivered preterm infants still hospitalised in a neonatal intensive care unit. Two questionnaires were completed, the IES-R and the EPDS, assessing posttraumatic stress and postpartum depressive symptoms. A semi-structured interview was also conducted. Results: Trauma of premature birth and caesarean, feelings of guilt, anxiety, ambivalence towards the infant, the medical staff and the infant's hospital discharge, were all part of their perception. Furthermore, difficulties for mothers to define themselves as such and the importance of sharing with women who have been through the same experience were evidenced. Postpartum depression and posttraumatic stress disorder were also highlighted. Conclusion: Our findings highlight that premature birth can be traumatic and lead to the development of psychopathological symptoms. Moreover, this study suggests the need to develop a specific support focusing on the sharing of experience and prevention in order to prevent disorders from developing.

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Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate depressive and anxious symptoms while examining the impact of self-esteem, social support and coping strategies on these symptoms in women who have been hospitalised for high-risk pregnancies. Method: Fifty-five women from the south of France area hospitalised or on bed rest for high-risk pregnancy completed five scales: the Edinburgh Post-Natal Depression Scale (EPDS), the High Risk Pregnancy Stress Scale (HRPSS), the Revised Prenatal Coping Inventory (NuCPI), the 'Questionnaire du Soutien Social Perçu' (QSSP), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Results: The results show that over half of these women manifest symptoms characteristic of pre-natal depression and the entire sample showed high levels of anxiety symptoms. Predictive factors for depression included informational support and self-esteem; for anxiety, predictive factors were patient age and EPDS scores. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of providing appropriate psychological support for women with high-risk pregnancies in order to avoid depressive disorders and any potential negative consequences on the perinatal period.

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