Postpartum Stress and Neural Regulation of Emotion among First-Time Mothers

Abstract

Early parenting relies on emotion regulation capabilities, as mothers are responsible for regulating both their own emotional state and that of their infant during a time of new parenting-related neural plasticity and potentially increased stress. Previous research highlights the importance of frontal cortical regions in facilitating effective emotion regulation, but few studies have investigated the neural regulation of emotion among postpartum women. The current study employed a functional neuroimaging (fMRI) approach to explore the association between perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and the neural regulation of emotion in firsttime mothers. Among 59 postpartum mothers, higher perceived stress during the postpartum period was associated with less selfreported use of cognitive reappraisal in everyday life, and greater use of emotion suppression. While viewing standardized aversive images during the Emotion Regulation Task (ERT), mothers were instructed to experience their natural emotional state (Maintain) or to decrease the intensity of their negative emotion by using cognitive reappraisal (Reappraise). Whole-brain analysis revealed a two-way interaction of perceived stress x condition in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) at p < .05 cluster-wise corrected, controlling for postpartum months and scanner type. Higher levels of perceived stress were associated with heightened right DLPFC activity while engaging in cognitive reappraisal versus naturally responding to negative stimuli. Higher right DLPFC activity during Reappraise versus Maintain was further associated with elevated parenting stress. Findings suggest that stress and everyday reappraisal use is reflected in mothers' neural regulation of emotion and may have important implications for their adaptation to parenthood.

The post-discharge coping difficulty of puerperal women in a middle and low-income tourist city during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…It is therefore not surprising that the incidence of maternal mental health problems was substantially higher than before the pandemic [ 25 ]. The greater the perceived stress, the greater increase in brain neural activity, the higher the risk of negative emotions (anxiety and depression) [ 25 , 26 ], and the more emotional support the parturient needed. Therefore, support should also be offered to women after childbirth, not only during pregnancy or for maternal complications.…”

The post-discharge coping difficulty of puerperal women in a middle and low-income tourist city during the COVID-19 epidemic: a cross-sectional study

“…The number of both maternal caregivers and visits made were limited during hospitalization, and postpartum face-to-face communication opportunities with medical staff and friends were reduced, then the incidence of maternal mental health problems was signi cantly higher than before the pandemic [26]. The greater the perceived stress, the corresponding increase in brain neural activity, the higher the risk of negative emotions (anxiety and depression) [27,28], the more emotional support the parturient needed. Therefore, support should also be offered to women after childbirth, not only during pregnancy or for maternal complications.…”

Trait coping styles and the maternal neural and behavioral sensitivity to an infant

“…use of incorrect stimuli). An overlapping sample of fMRI data from the current study has been included in prior publications 30 , 69 , 81 , 82 , however, the current research question has not been examined.…”