This study highlighted some dimensions of positive psychological functioning that specifically contribute to women's well-being in the transition to motherhood, and their different relevance for primiparous and multiparous mothers. Future trials are needed to integrate this information in tailored intervention for the promotion of mothers' complete mental health.

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Pregnancy and puerperium are crucial periods at both the biological and psychological levels. The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate women's perceived health and illness during pregnancy and puerperium through the assessment of hedonic and eudaimonic components of well-being, symptoms of peripartum depression, and their relationship. Nineteen women recruited at the Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology of a university hospital in Northern Italy were enrolled and answered a set of questionnaires at two time points: 20-22 weeks of gestation and 6 months after childbirth. Results showed a substantial lack of correlation between the dimensions of mental illness and mental health. The analysis of the well-and ill-being components showed low levels of depression as well as good levels of mental health, especially concerning the eudaimonic components of well-being, both during and after pregnancy. Overall, findings attested to a general stability of well-being over pregnancy and puerperium. Key words: positive psychology, hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, peripartum depression. ResumenEl embarazo y el puerperio son periodos cruciales tanto a nivel biológico como psicológico. El objetivo de este estudio longitudinal fue investigar la percepción de las mujeres sobre su salud y enfermedad durante el embarazo y el puerperio mediante la evaluación de componentes hedónicos y eudaimónicos del bienestar, síntomas de depresión, y sus relaciones. Participaron 19 mujeres contactadas en la Unidad de Obstetricia y Ginecología de un hospital italiano, quienes respondieron a unos cuestionarios a las 20-22 semanas de la gestación y a los 6 meses tras el parto. Los resultados mostraron una sustancial falta de correlación entre dimensiones de salud y de enfermedad mental. El análisis del bienestar y malestar mostraron bajos niveles de depresión así como buenos niveles de salud mental, especialmente en los componentes eudaimónicos del bienestar, tanto durante como después del embarazo. Globalmente nuestros hallazgos indican una estabilidad general del bienestar en el embarazo y el puerperio. Palabras Clave: psicología positiva, bienestar hedónico y eudaimónico, depresión periparto.

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