Mothering Problems and Child Morbidity Amongst “Mothers with Emotional Disturbances”

Abstract

In a study of 1,955 primigravidae who gave birth to a live singleton baby, 227 (11.6%) scored 'positive' (7+) in an antenatal Health Questionnaire enquiring into pre-pregnancy emotional disturbances. This group of mothers had more frequent depression, and this was of longer duration after their delivery compared with those scoring less than 7 (less than or equal to 6). Those scoring 7+ were less likely to breast-feed and the infants were more often ill during the first year of life. There were also differences in 'minor obstetric complications' between the two survey groups. This suggests that the application of this Health Questionnaire antenatally can identify emotionally vulnerable women, who could benefit from support and education during the antenatal period.

Influence of Parental Mental Health on Early Termination of Breast-Feeding: a Case-Control Study

“…24 Among the mothers with psychiatric problems in the postpartum period, 50 to 75% of them suffer from affective disorders, 12% from anxiety, 10 to 20% from schizophrenia, and 2 to 12% from organic psychiatric disorders. 16,24,25 In addition, men have been reported to present a cumulative incidence of paternal depression in the first year after childbirth: 23.8% in a Portuguese study, 23 and 10.1% in an Australian study. 26 In those 2 studies, the onset of the disorder was usually observed at 3 months after childbirth.…”

“…Men who live with depressive women have a higher chance of becoming depressed, and vice versa. 23,25 Submitted, revised, 2003 November 18. From the Departments of Psychiatry (OGF) and Pediatrics (ERJG), School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and the Community Health Service, Grupo Hospitalar Conceição, Brazil (CLCF).…”

Medical Complications of Mothers

“…186 Smoking behavior patterns prenatally, during pregnancy, and postpartum, as studied by O'Campo et al, 219 show that 41% of women quit during pregnancy, with the highest rate of quitters being older, better educated, and white. Mothers who smoke choose bottle feeding more frequently than women who do not smoke.…”

“…219 Furthermore, they saw the problems in psychological terms; that is, the infant did not want their milk or did not like it. 219 Furthermore, they saw the problems in psychological terms; that is, the infant did not want their milk or did not like it.…”