Do Maternal Stress and Depressive Symptoms in Perinatal Period Predict the Lactation Mastitis Occurrence? A Retrospective Longitudinal Study in Greek Women

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study is to investigate whether symptoms of anxiety and depression disorders in women during the perinatal period predict the occurrence of lactation mastitis. Methods: This is a retrospective longitudinal study of 622 Greek women who were monitored from pregnancy until the first year postpartum (during the period January 2015–May 2018). The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS) were administered at four time points: (a) 24th–28th gestation week, (b) 34th–38th gestation week, (c) 6 weeks postpartum, and (d) 12 months postpartum. Multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: Results showed that (a) increased EPDS (p < 0.02) and PASS (p < 0.05) scores during the last period before birth, (b) increased EPDS score at 6 weeks postpartum (p < 0.02), (c) PMS symptoms (p < 0.03), (d) traumatic life events during the last year (p < 0.03), and (e) the existence of a history of psychotherapy (before pregnancy) (p = 0.050) appear to be the psycho-emotional factors that can predict the possible occurrence of lactation mastitis in a breastfeeding mother. Conclusions: The association between women’s poor mental health and the occurrence of a physical health problem, such as lactation mastitis, is recognized. This study highlights the important role of early and timely detection of perinatal mental health disorders.

Prácticas, actitudes y creencias durante la lactancia y sus factores sociodemográficos en las madres del área de CRED del Centro Materno Infantil Los Sureños, Puente Piedra - Lima Perú, 2021

“…Por otra parte, un gran número de madres cree que la lactancia favorece a la depresión, sin embargo, este supuesto es erróneo, para Figueiredo et al (35) la lactancia materna protege a la madre frente a la depresión postparto, regula los patrones del sueño, mejora la autoestima y la implicancia emocional con su hijo. Sin embargo, Dagla et al (36) revela que las psicopatologías como la depresión y ansiedad pueden predecir la aparición de mastitis durante la lactancia y esta enfermedad si puede recrudecer en el abandono de la misma y posibles problemas psico emocionales.…”