Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major health problem that affects many women worldwide. In Egypt, PPD is neglected despite the expected high prevalence rate among women during the transition period after the Egyptian revolution. This research investigated the prevalence, risk factors, and interventions of postpartum depression in southern rural Egypt. Interviews were conducted with 57 participants recruited from public and private hospitals. Questionnaires and the Arabic version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale were administered. The prevalence of PPD is 73.7%. PPD is associated with low income and age at childbirth. Most participants regarded screening mothers after childbirth for PPD as effective; in comparison to, antidepressants that were regarded by most participants as ineffective. Women in southern rural Egypt prefer high number of pregnancies, so investigating the influence of sertraline, an antidepressant medication, on female hormones becomes important. In this research, fathead minnows were exposed to 3 and 10 ppb sertraline for 7 days. Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction was used to detect the change in gene expression of the Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Results showed that a down regulation at the 10 ppb was evident on the LH and to a lesser extent on FSH. Our results increased levels of sertraline inhibited GnRH which influenced expression of LH and FSH.

Introdução: A empatia consiste em compartilhar uma emoção percebida de outra pessoa, e, em certa medida, sentir a mesma emoção que a outra pessoa está sentindo (Eisenberg e Strayer; 1992). Aos dois anos, as crianças têm a capacidade de atribuir significado emocional às expressões dos outros, além de responder a estas expressões de modo adequado; verifica-se neste contexto de compartilhamentos emocionais precoces o aparecimento de comportamentos de consolo e de ajuda, ainda que de maneira incipiente (Harris, 1996; Strayer, 1993). O presente estudo faz parte do Projeto Temático (FAPESP) Depressão Pós-Parto (DPP) como fator de risco no desenvolvimento: Estudo interdisciplinar dos fatores envolvidos na gênese do quadro e em suas consequências, que acompanha díades mãe-bebê da gestação ao terceiro ano da criança. Dentro deste projeto, este estudo objetivou avaliar relações entre variáveis do contexto socioafetivo da criança sobre o desenvolvimento da empatia na criança, aos dois anos de idade. Recebeu atenção especial a presença ou não de indicadores de DPP, bem como de outros fatores contextuais associados ao sexo da criança, apoio social, ao fato de a criança ter outros cuidadores, frequentar a creche, desfrutar da presença do pai, considerando-se também as percepções da mãe quanto ao temperamento de suas crianças, a impaciência e a satisfação em ser mãe. Métodos: A amostra foi composta por 69 díades (mãe-bebê) com a presença ou não de indicadores de DPP. Esta foi avaliada no puerpério, aos 8 meses e aos 24 meses, pela Escala de Depressão Pós-parto de Edimburgh (EDPE). Para analisar o desenvolvimento da empatia, utilizou-se aos 24 meses das crianças o teste do Teddy Bear, segundo protocolo desenvolvido por Bischof Kohler (1991), que visa avaliar ações e emoções indicativas de empatia. As reações apresentadas pelas crianças foram analisadas quanto à presença de indicadores de empatia, conforme protocolo do teste. As crianças também receberam classificações a partir de padrões de comportamentos descritos como: ajudantes, ajudantes bloqueados e indiferentes. Resultados: O teste da empatia foi aplicado em 69 crianças, e inicialmente foi possível verificar, por meio do teste realizado aos 24 meses, que ainda que estas crianças sejam filhas de mães com ou sem indicativos de DPP, a grande maioria (43=63,2%) demonstrou empatia diante da situação de choro do experimentador enquanto as demais apresentaram comportamentos de indiferença. Ao contrário do esperado, não se verificou efeito da DPP no puerpério sobre a empatia nas crianças de dois anos. Ainda assim, houve uma tendência a este efeito esperado da DPP sobre a empatia: No grupo sem depressão pós-parto, há uma tendência a mais crianças empáticas. Pode-se verificar, no resíduo ajustado, que as crianças empáticas estão positivamente associadas à ausência de DPP (1,6) enquanto no grupo com DPP há menos frequência (-1,6) do que a esperada pelo acaso de crianças empáticas. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas na empatia aos dois anos, em função da depressão materna medida aos 8 e 24 meses. Neste estudo, os meninos apresentaram-se proporcionalmente mais empáticos (77,3% versus 55,6% das meninas), embora este bom desempenho tenha se revelado no contexto sem indicativo de DPP. Este resultado contraria o esperado pela literatura, no sentido de mais empatia associada às meninas. Os resultados obtidos com relação à empatia da criança aos 24 meses e seu principal cuidador neste período revelam que grande parte das crianças consideradas empáticas (26=65,0%) estão sob cuidados de outras pessoas que não a mãe, principalmente aos 24 meses. Os resultados citados anteriormente relacionam-se diretamente com o estar ou não em creches. Analisando-se em função da frequência à creche, verifica-se que a maioria das crianças consideradas empáticas (25=69,4%) já está frequentando a creche ou a escolinha aos 24 meses. Embora os resultados não tenham sido significativos, o resíduo ajustado demonstrou uma tendência para associação entre frequentar a creche e apresentar empatia (1,3). A relação entre os indicadores de empatia da criança aos 24 meses e ter contato com o Pai neste mesmo período, obtidos nesta amostra, também revelou tendência a mais empatia (35=59,3) nas crianças que desfrutam da presença do pai. As mães do grupo sem indicativos de DPP consideraram o temperamento de suas crianças mais fácil e estas por sua vez foram consideradas mais empáticas (17=69,0). Embora estes estudos realizados dentro do Projeto Temático apontem frequentes manifestações de impaciência das mães aos 24 meses, as crianças filhas de mães que relataram ficar às vezes impacientes apresentaram-se mais empáticas (23=63,9%). No que se refere à satisfação em ser mãe e a empatia da criança aos 24 meses, no grupo de mães que se declararam sempre estar satisfeitas, as crianças apresentaram mais comportamentos empáticos (35=64,8%) e na presença de depressão não houve associações significativas com a empatia. Conclusão: Embora a DPP não tenha influenciado de modo significativo o desenvolvimento da empatia das crianças aos 24 meses, o conjunto de indicadores mostrou uma associação complexa entre os vários fatores do contexto e o sexo da criança em interação com a DPP. É fato que alguns elementos podem amenizar os sintomas que afetam a mãe deprimida, que pode por sua vez buscar através de mecanismos de proteção ao seu bebê um suporte emocional e social adequado com subsídios eficazes para a compreensão e amparo das necessidades do seu bebê. A presente pesquisa ao mostrar estas interações contribui para a compreensão da DPP como um fator de risco para o desenvolvimento das crianças que vivem neste contexto, associando os mesmos a fatores psicossociais de risco. Reitera-se a importância de pesquisas que possam contribuir para a compreensão do desenvolvimento e para intervenções psicológicas e cuidados com a saúde das mães e seus bebês / Introduction: Empathy is to share a perceived emotion of another person, and to some extent, feel the same emotion that the other person is feeling (Eisenberg e Strayer; 1992). At two years the children have the ability to assign meaning to the emotional expressions of others, and respond to these expressions appropriately: there is in this context shares the early emergence of emotional behaviors consolation and help, albeit in a incipient (Harris, 1996; Strayer, 1993). This study is part of the Thematic Project (FAPESP) \"Postpartum Depression (DPP) as a risk factor in development: Interdisciplinary study of the factors involved in the genesis of the framework and its consequences \", accompanying mother-infant dyads from pregnancy to the child\'s third year. Within this project, this study aimed to evaluate relationships between variables in the context of socio-affective child on the development of empathy in children at two years of age. Received special attention to the presence or absence of indicators of DPP, as well as other contextual factors associated with the sex of the child, social support, the fact that the child has other caregivers, attending daycare, enjoy the presence of the father, considering also the mother\'s perceptions regarding the temperament of your children, impatience and satisfaction in being a mother. Methods: The sample consisted of 69 dyads (mother-baby) with the presence or absence of indicators of postpartum depression; this was evaluated postpartum, 8 months and 24 months, the Depression Scale of Postpartum Edimburgh (EDPE). To analyze the development of empathy, we used 24 months of testing children\'s \"Teddy Bear\", a protocol developed by Bischof - Kohler (1991), which aims to evaluate actions and emotions indicative of empathy. The reactions presented by the children were analyzed for the presence of indicators of empathy as the test protocol. Children also received ratings from patterns of behavior described as helpers, helpers blocked and indifferent. Results: The empathy test was applied in 69 children, and initially was verified by testing performed at 24 months, that although these children are born to mothers with or without indications of postpartum depression, the vast majority (43 = 62,3 %) showed empathy to the situation of crying the experimenter while the others showed behaviors of indifference. Still, there was a tendency to this expected effect of DPP about empathy: In the group without postpartum depression, there is a trend to more empathic children. You can check the residue adjusted, empathic children are positively associated with the absence of DPP (1,6) - while the group with DPP less frequently (-1,6) than expected by chance empathic children. There were no significant differences in empathy to two years, depending on maternal depression measured at 8 and 24 months. In this study, boys showed up proportionately more empathetic (77,3% versus 55,6% girls), although this has proved good performance in context without indicating DPP. This result runs counter to the anticipated by the literature, in order to more empathy associated with girls. The results obtained with respect to the child\'s empathy at 24 months and their caregivers in this period reveal that most children considered empathetic (26 = 65,0%) are under the care of persons other than the mother especially at 24 month. The results cited above relate directly to whether or not in daycare. Analyzing a function of frequency to daycare, it appears that the majority of children considered empathetic (25 = 69,4%) is already attending kindergarten or kindergarten to 24 months. Although the results were not significant, the adjusted residual showed a trend for association between attending nursery and display empathy (1,3). The relationship between indicators of empathy in children at 24 months and have contact with the Father in the same period, obtained in this sample also showed a tendency to more empathy (35 = 59,3) in children who enjoy the presence of the father. The mothers in the group without DPP considered indicative of the temperament of their children \"easier\" and these in turn were considered more empathetic (17 = 69,0). While these studies point within the Thematic Project frequent expressions of impatience mothers at 24 months, children born to mothers who reported getting \"sometimes\" impatient were more empathic (23 = 63, 9%).Regarding the satisfaction of being a mother and child empathy at 24 months in the group of mothers who reported ever being satisfied children showed more empathetic behaviors (35 = 64, 8%) and in the presence of depression no significant associations with empathy. Conclusion: Although the DPP has not significantly influenced the development of empathy for children at 24 months, the number of indicators showed a complex association between various factors and the context of the child\'s gender in interaction with the DPP. It is a fact that some elements may ease symptoms that affect the depressed mother, which may in turn seek through mechanisms of protection for your baby a proper social and emotional support with subsidies for effective understanding and support the needs of your baby. The present research to show these interactions contributes to the understanding of the DPP, as a risk factor for the development of children living in this context, associating them with psychosocial risk. Reiterates the importance of research that can contribute to the understanding of development and psychological interventions and health care of mothers and their babies

Background: Maternal sensitivity, or high quality maternal caregiving, in which the mother leads and structures the infant’s early experiences in a responsive way, is associated with improved child development outcomes and health, both in the immediate and long term, and thus an important area of public health research. Although previous research has established that exposure to high maternal sensitivity advances the outcome of infant cognitive development, factors such as breastfeeding, which is hypothesized to confound the association, or depression, which is negatively associated with sensitivity, have not yet been examined together in a single study. Maternal alcohol use, associated with both breastfeeding and depression, has not been examined in any study investigating the sensitivity-cognitive development association. The majority of infant studies examining the maternal sensitivity-infant cognition association include either normal birth weight infants or LBW infant samples. Using the LBW category may result in potential misclassification since this group combines at least two different phenomena and includes infants who have had either compromised gestational time as in the case of small for gestational age (SGA), or insufficient gestational time, as in the case of premature birth, or both. In studies using comparison groups, normal birth weight infants are sometimes compared to LBW infants or infants born prematurely. However, none of these studies examine the association between sensitivity and cognitive outcome in infants exclusively premature or SGA. Aim: This study investigates the association of several factors: (1) maternal depressive symptomology, (2) breastfeeding, (3) concurrent maternal alcohol intake and (4) infant biological vulnerability upon outcomes of (1) Maternal Sensitivity and (2) Infant Cognitive Development, as well as their effect on the association between senstivity and cognitive development. Methods: Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth (ECLS-B) Cohort, a nationally representative sample of U.S. born children, depressive symptomology was evaluated as an effect-modifier, and breastfeeding was evaluated as a confounder of the sensitivity-cognitive development association. Maternal alcohol use and biological vulnerability were also hypothesized to be confounders of the sensitivity-cognitive association. Univariate and multi-variable regression analyses were used to examine whether the four maternal factors were associated with Maternal Sensitivity, measured by the Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scale (NCATS), and with Cognitive Development, measured by the Bayley Scale of Infant Development, Research Edition (BSF-R). Results: In univariate analyses, breastfeeding, depressive symptomology and alcohol use were associated with maternal sensitivity but only breastfeeding and depressive symptomology were associated with Cognitive Development In a final model examining the effect of sensitivity, depressive symptomology and breastfeeding upon the outcome of Cognitive Development, sensitivity (β =.375, p<.001) remained significantly associated with cognitive development after adjusting for breastfeeding (β =1.592, p<.001), depressive symptomology (β =-.061), p<.05), demographic factors and birthweight (R2=.053, p<.001). Depressive symptomology was not an effect modifier of the sensitivity-cognitive developmental association. Univariate regression analyses showed that of the measures of biological vulnerability, premature birth had the greatest association with both sensitivity and cognitive development in comparison to the LBW or SGA. In a multivariate regression model in which maternal sensitivity as an outcome, premature birth (β= -.524***) was associated with maternal sensitivity (R2=.100, p<.001), after adjusting for maternal depression and breastfeeding. In a multivariate regression model analysing the effect premature birth and maternal factors, including sensitivity in which cognitive development was the outcome, maternal sensitivity (β=.369, p<.001) and breastfeeding (β=1.567, p<.001) were positively associated with infant cognitive development, while premature birth (β= -2.949, p<.001) was negatively associated (R2=.049, p<.001). Conclusion: This research demonstrates that an independent association between maternal sensitivity and infant cognitive development remains even after adjusting for breastfeeding, and that breastfeeding is a separate means to advancing infant cognitive development. Premature birth, rather than SGA drove the negative association between low birth weight and cognitive development. Future research should look at the effects of premature birth separately from SGA when examining developmental outcomes. Keywords: Maternal Sensitivity, Parenting, Cognitive Development, Breastfeeding, Maternal Depression, Premature Birth, Small for Gestational Age, Low Birth Weight

Introdução: A empatia consiste em compartilhar uma emoção percebida de outra pessoa, e, em certa medida, sentir a mesma emoção que a outra pessoa está sentindo (Eisenberg e Strayer; 1992). Aos dois anos, as crianças têm a capacidade de atribuir significado emocional às expressões dos outros, além de responder a estas expressões de modo adequado; verifica-se neste contexto de compartilhamentos emocionais precoces o aparecimento de comportamentos de consolo e de ajuda, ainda que de maneira incipiente (Harris, 1996; Strayer, 1993). O presente estudo faz parte do Projeto Temático (FAPESP) Depressão Pós-Parto (DPP) como fator de risco no desenvolvimento: Estudo interdisciplinar dos fatores envolvidos na gênese do quadro e em suas consequências, que acompanha díades mãe-bebê da gestação ao terceiro ano da criança. Dentro deste projeto, este estudo objetivou avaliar relações entre variáveis do contexto socioafetivo da criança sobre o desenvolvimento da empatia na criança, aos dois anos de idade. Recebeu atenção especial a presença ou não de indicadores de DPP, bem como de outros fatores contextuais associados ao sexo da criança, apoio social, ao fato de a criança ter outros cuidadores, frequentar a creche, desfrutar da presença do pai, considerando-se também as percepções da mãe quanto ao temperamento de suas crianças, a impaciência e a satisfação em ser mãe. Métodos: A amostra foi composta por 69 díades (mãe-bebê) com a presença ou não de indicadores de DPP. Esta foi avaliada no puerpério, aos 8 meses e aos 24 meses, pela Escala de Depressão Pós-parto de Edimburgh (EDPE). Para analisar o desenvolvimento da empatia, utilizou-se aos 24 meses das crianças o teste do Teddy Bear, segundo protocolo desenvolvido por Bischof Kohler (1991), que visa avaliar ações e emoções indicativas de empatia. As reações apresentadas pelas crianças foram analisadas quanto à presença de indicadores de empatia, conforme protocolo do teste. As crianças também receberam classificações a partir de padrões de comportamentos descritos como: ajudantes, ajudantes bloqueados e indiferentes. Resultados: O teste da empatia foi aplicado em 69 crianças, e inicialmente foi possível verificar, por meio do teste realizado aos 24 meses, que ainda que estas crianças sejam filhas de mães com ou sem indicativos de DPP, a grande maioria (43=63,2%) demonstrou empatia diante da situação de choro do experimentador enquanto as demais apresentaram comportamentos de indiferença. Ao contrário do esperado, não se verificou efeito da DPP no puerpério sobre a empatia nas crianças de dois anos. Ainda assim, houve uma tendência a este efeito esperado da DPP sobre a empatia: No grupo sem depressão pós-parto, há uma tendência a mais crianças empáticas. Pode-se verificar, no resíduo ajustado, que as crianças empáticas estão positivamente associadas à ausência de DPP (1,6) enquanto no grupo com DPP há menos frequência (-1,6) do que a esperada pelo acaso de crianças empáticas. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas na empatia aos dois anos, em função da depressão materna medida aos 8 e 24 meses. Neste estudo, os meninos apresentaram-se proporcionalmente mais empáticos (77,3% versus 55,6% das meninas), embora este bom desempenho tenha se revelado no contexto sem indicativo de DPP. Este resultado contraria o esperado pela literatura, no sentido de mais empatia associada às meninas. Os resultados obtidos com relação à empatia da criança aos 24 meses e seu principal cuidador neste período revelam que grande parte das crianças consideradas empáticas (26=65,0%) estão sob cuidados de outras pessoas que não a mãe, principalmente aos 24 meses. Os resultados citados anteriormente relacionam-se diretamente com o estar ou não em creches. Analisando-se em função da frequência à creche, verifica-se que a maioria das crianças consideradas empáticas (25=69,4%) já está frequentando a creche ou a escolinha aos 24 meses. Embora os resultados não tenham sido significativos, o resíduo ajustado demonstrou uma tendência para associação entre frequentar a creche e apresentar empatia (1,3). A relação entre os indicadores de empatia da criança aos 24 meses e ter contato com o Pai neste mesmo período, obtidos nesta amostra, também revelou tendência a mais empatia (35=59,3) nas crianças que desfrutam da presença do pai. As mães do grupo sem indicativos de DPP consideraram o temperamento de suas crianças mais fácil e estas por sua vez foram consideradas mais empáticas (17=69,0). Embora estes estudos realizados dentro do Projeto Temático apontem frequentes manifestações de impaciência das mães aos 24 meses, as crianças filhas de mães que relataram ficar às vezes impacientes apresentaram-se mais empáticas (23=63,9%). No que se refere à satisfação em ser mãe e a empatia da criança aos 24 meses, no grupo de mães que se declararam sempre estar satisfeitas, as crianças apresentaram mais comportamentos empáticos (35=64,8%) e na presença de depressão não houve associações significativas com a empatia. Conclusão: Embora a DPP não tenha influenciado de modo significativo o desenvolvimento da empatia das crianças aos 24 meses, o conjunto de indicadores mostrou uma associação complexa entre os vários fatores do contexto e o sexo da criança em interação com a DPP. É fato que alguns elementos podem amenizar os sintomas que afetam a mãe deprimida, que pode por sua vez buscar através de mecanismos de proteção ao seu bebê um suporte emocional e social adequado com subsídios eficazes para a compreensão e amparo das necessidades do seu bebê. A presente pesquisa ao mostrar estas interações contribui para a compreensão da DPP como um fator de risco para o desenvolvimento das crianças que vivem neste contexto, associando os mesmos a fatores psicossociais de risco. Reitera-se a importância de pesquisas que possam contribuir para a compreensão do desenvolvimento e para intervenções psicológicas e cuidados com a saúde das mães e seus bebês / Introduction: Empathy is to share a perceived emotion of another person, and to some extent, feel the same emotion that the other person is feeling (Eisenberg e Strayer; 1992). At two years the children have the ability to assign meaning to the emotional expressions of others, and respond to these expressions appropriately: there is in this context shares the early emergence of emotional behaviors consolation and help, albeit in a incipient (Harris, 1996; Strayer, 1993). This study is part of the Thematic Project (FAPESP) \"Postpartum Depression (DPP) as a risk factor in development: Interdisciplinary study of the factors involved in the genesis of the framework and its consequences \", accompanying mother-infant dyads from pregnancy to the child\'s third year. Within this project, this study aimed to evaluate relationships between variables in the context of socio-affective child on the development of empathy in children at two years of age. Received special attention to the presence or absence of indicators of DPP, as well as other contextual factors associated with the sex of the child, social support, the fact that the child has other caregivers, attending daycare, enjoy the presence of the father, considering also the mother\'s perceptions regarding the temperament of your children, impatience and satisfaction in being a mother. Methods: The sample consisted of 69 dyads (mother-baby) with the presence or absence of indicators of postpartum depression; this was evaluated postpartum, 8 months and 24 months, the Depression Scale of Postpartum Edimburgh (EDPE). To analyze the development of empathy, we used 24 months of testing children\'s \"Teddy Bear\", a protocol developed by Bischof - Kohler (1991), which aims to evaluate actions and emotions indicative of empathy. The reactions presented by the children were analyzed for the presence of indicators of empathy as the test protocol. Children also received ratings from patterns of behavior described as helpers, helpers blocked and indifferent. Results: The empathy test was applied in 69 children, and initially was verified by testing performed at 24 months, that although these children are born to mothers with or without indications of postpartum depression, the vast majority (43 = 62,3 %) showed empathy to the situation of crying the experimenter while the others showed behaviors of indifference. Still, there was a tendency to this expected effect of DPP about empathy: In the group without postpartum depression, there is a trend to more empathic children. You can check the residue adjusted, empathic children are positively associated with the absence of DPP (1,6) - while the group with DPP less frequently (-1,6) than expected by chance empathic children. There were no significant differences in empathy to two years, depending on maternal depression measured at 8 and 24 months. In this study, boys showed up proportionately more empathetic (77,3% versus 55,6% girls), although this has proved good performance in context without indicating DPP. This result runs counter to the anticipated by the literature, in order to more empathy associated with girls. The results obtained with respect to the child\'s empathy at 24 months and their caregivers in this period reveal that most children considered empathetic (26 = 65,0%) are under the care of persons other than the mother especially at 24 month. The results cited above relate directly to whether or not in daycare. Analyzing a function of frequency to daycare, it appears that the majority of children considered empathetic (25 = 69,4%) is already attending kindergarten or kindergarten to 24 months. Although the results were not significant, the adjusted residual showed a trend for association between attending nursery and display empathy (1,3). The relationship between indicators of empathy in children at 24 months and have contact with the Father in the same period, obtained in this sample also showed a tendency to more empathy (35 = 59,3) in children who enjoy the presence of the father. The mothers in the group without DPP considered indicative of the temperament of their children \"easier\" and these in turn were considered more empathetic (17 = 69,0). While these studies point within the Thematic Project frequent expressions of impatience mothers at 24 months, children born to mothers who reported getting \"sometimes\" impatient were more empathic (23 = 63, 9%).Regarding the satisfaction of being a mother and child empathy at 24 months in the group of mothers who reported ever being satisfied children showed more empathetic behaviors (35 = 64, 8%) and in the presence of depression no significant associations with empathy. Conclusion: Although the DPP has not significantly influenced the development of empathy for children at 24 months, the number of indicators showed a complex association between various factors and the context of the child\'s gender in interaction with the DPP. It is a fact that some elements may ease symptoms that affect the depressed mother, which may in turn seek through mechanisms of protection for your baby a proper social and emotional support with subsidies for effective understanding and support the needs of your baby. The present research to show these interactions contributes to the understanding of the DPP, as a risk factor for the development of children living in this context, associating them with psychosocial risk. Reiterates the importance of research that can contribute to the understanding of development and psychological interventions and health care of mothers and their babies

Introdução: Este estudo faz parte de uma pesquisa longitudinal sobre depressão pós-parto (DPP), suas possíveis causas e conseqüências para a interação mãe-bebê e para o desenvolvimento infantil (Projeto Temático da FAPESP). As participantes foram entrevistadas no terceiro trimestre de gestação e as díades mãe-bebê foram avaliadas dois dias após o parto, no terceiro e no quarto mês de idade da criança. No quarto mês da criança, certas categorias comportamentais (olhar, sorriso, toque, verbalização/vocalização e choro), vigentes na interação mãe-bebê, foram analisadas em função da presença de indicadores de DPP. Foram analisados também os estilos interativos maternos (intrusivo, retraído e boa interação) a partir do protocolo de Field (FIELD et al., 2003). Métodos: Aplicando a EPDE (Escala Pós-parto de Edimburgo) no terceiro mês, as participantes foram separadas em dois grupos: potencialmente deprimidas (N = 25) e não-deprimidas (N = 50). As 75 díades foram filmadas aos quatro meses durante, aproximadamente, três minutos. Resultados: (1) Mães com menor escolaridade, maior número de filhos e histórico de depressão anterior à gravidez tinham maiores probabilidades de apresentar DPP. (2) Foram encontradas as seguintes relações significativas: a. Independentemente da DPP: Bebês de mães que haviam planejado a gravidez, em média, vocalizaram mais; b. Específicas de díades com DPP: Quanto maior o número de outros filhos, menos as mães verbalizaram para seus bebês; e quanto maior o número de crianças (sem parentesco com o bebê) morando na mesma casa, mais os bebês vocalizaram para suas mães; e c. Específica de díades sem DPP: Quanto maior o número de outros filhos, mais os bebês vocalizaram para suas mães. (3) Apesar de as díades com e sem DPP não diferirem quanto à freqüência de comportamentos, a DPP teve um impacto diferencial nos arranjos interativos diádicos. Apenas as mães sem DPP apresentaram padrão correlacionado de verbalização, sorriso e olhar dirigido para seus bebês; enquanto, seus bebês, também apresentaram padrão correlacionado de vocalização, sorriso, olhar e ausência de choro em resposta às suas mães. (4) A Análise Fatorial agrupou os comportamentos interativos das mães e dos bebês segundo três fatores: 1. Afetividade positiva diádica (sorriso da mãe; sorriso, vocalização e ausência de choro do bebê); 2. Olhar do bebê para o toque da mãe (toque da mãe; olhar do bebê para mão da mãe e ausência de contato de olhar do bebê); 3. Verbalização da mãe dirigida ao bebê (olhar e verbalização da mãe). (5) Para a amostra geral, a distribuição das freqüências dos estilos interativos maternos foi a seguinte: boa interação (57,3%), intrusivas (33,3%) e retraídas (9,3%). (6) Somente mães sem DPP retraídas olharam e verbalizaram menos para seus bebês quando comparadas às demais. Conclusão: A ausência de diferenças entre as médias dos comportamentos exibidos pelas díades em função da DPP aponta para a existência de mecanismos compensatórios maternos (luta contra a indisponibilidade emocional e fator de proteção do bebê). A DPP parece capaz de perturbar os arranjos interativos tornando-os menos consistentes. Porém, apesar desta possível limitação, por vezes, mães com DPP podem interagir adequadamente com seus bebês. Por fim, a DPP por não se tratar de um fenômeno capaz de incidir linearmente sobre a interação mãe-bebê, e sobre o desenvolvimento infantil posterior, deve ser investigada em associação com outros fatores psico-sociais de risco. / Introduction: This study is part of a longitudinal research concerning postpartum depression (PPD), its possible causes and consequences for the mother-infant interaction and also for the infant development (Projeto Temático da FAPESP). The participants were first examined during their third trimester of pregnancy and the mother-infant dyads were evaluated two days after the birth and also when the infants were 3-4 months of age. When the infant was 4 months old, certain behavioral categories (eye contact, smile, touch, verbalization/vocalization and cry), present in the mother-infant interaction, were examined due to the presence of PPD indicators. The maternal interactive styles (intrusive, withdrawn, and good interaction) were also examined based on Field Protocol (FIELD et al., 2003). Methods: Using the EPDE (Escala Pós-parto de Edimburgo) in the third month postpartum, the participants were separated in two groups: potentially depressed (N=25) and non-depressed (N=50). Four months after delivery, the 75 dyads were recorded for about 3 minutes. Results: (1) Mothers with less scholarity, with higher number of offspring, and with a history of depression before pregnancy had a higher probability of presenting PPD. (2) The following significant associations were found for: a) PPD and non PPD dyads: babies from mothers who had planned their pregnancy, in average, vocalized more; b) PPD dyads: the higher the number of offspring, the less mothers verbalized to their babies and the higher the number of non-related children, living in the same house, the more babies vocalized to their mothers; c) Non-PPD dyads: the higher the number of offspring, the more babies vocalized to their mothers. (3) In spite of PPD and non PPD dyads having not differed in relation to the frequency of behavior, PPD dyads had a differential impact on dyadic interactive arrangements. Only non-PPD mothers showed a correlated pattern of verbalization, smile, eye contact to their babies, and their babies also showed correlated pattern of vocalization, smile, eye contact and absence of cry to their mothers. (4) The factorial analysis classified the mother-infant behavior according to three factors: 1) Dyadic positive affection (mothers smile, infants smile and vocalization, and absence of infants cry); 2) Infants gaze to mothers hands (mothers touch; infants gaze to the mothers hands, and absence of infants eye contact); 3) Maternal verbalization to the baby (mothers eye contact and verbalization). (5) To the general sample, the distribution of the frequencies of maternal interactive styles was as follows: good interaction (57,3%), intrusive (33,3%), and withdrawn (9,3%). (6) Only withdrawn non-depressed mothers kept eye contact and verbalized less to their babies when compared to the others. Conclusion: The absence of differences among the behavior averages showed by the dyads due to PPD points to the existence of maternal compensatory mechanisms (to fight against emotional unavailability and infants protection factor). PPD seems to be able of disturbing the interactive arrangements making them less consistent. However, despite this possible limitation, PPD mothers can sometimes interact accordingly with their babies. Finally, PPD, for not being a phenomenon able to occur linearly upon the mother-infant interaction, and also upon the infant development, should be investigated in association with other risky psycho-social factors.

Esta dissertação é fruto de profundas inquietações a respeito da origem e da importância das primeiras relações entre mãe e bebê, bem como das forças atuantes na constituição do psiquismo infantil. Ao longo do estudo, surgiu a necessidade de pesquisar a depressão pós-parto como conseqüência do retorno a si mesma, fruto da regressão da mãe e do contato facilitado que toda mãe é levada a fazer ao dar à luz um bebê com conteúdos e conflitos inconscientes relativos a experiências e fantasias infantis e suas reverberações no desencontro da dupla. O estudo inicia-se pela visão de Freud, Klein e alguns de seus discípulos atuais sobre como a menina se torna mulher e qual o impacto da maternidade para o psiquismo feminino; discute a importância da complexa trama envolvida no cenário das primeiras relações; demonstra as competências do recém-nascido, seu uso dos cinco sentidos, e a noção de estados de consciência; trata das confirmações encontradas pela neurociência às questões da importância das relações iniciais que a psicanálise discute; aborda aspectos da interação mãe e bebê, inclusive a psicopatologia do bebê decorrente do desencontro entre a dupla e seus efeitos, com atenção especial à compreensão da depressão materna no período puerperal. Num segundo momento, discutem-se entrevistas que realizamos com pediatras profissionais que atendem no início a dupla mãe-bebê possuidores de experiência diversificada em clínica médica. Aborda-se o universo que apresentam, bem como se registram as reflexões advindas desses contatos produtivos, articulando-os com os conhecimentos teóricos oferecidos pela psicanálise. Assim, propõe-se verificar e observar a capacitação dos pediatras no diagnóstico da depressão puerperal; investigar a atenção que os pediatras dedicam aos aspectos da relação entre mãe e filho e seu impacto no desenvolvimento do bebê; e apontar de que forma a psicologia e a psicanálise podem fornecer subsídios à pediatria. / This essay is a result of profound concerns about the origins and the importance of the early relationship between mother and baby and of the active crosscurrents in the constitution of child psyche. Throughout the work, there came the necessity of researching the postpartum depression as a consequence of the return to the self, a product of mother regression and of the facilitated contact which every mother is supposed to undergo after child bearing with unconscious themes and conflicts related to child experiences and fantasies and their reverberations in the lack of mother-baby approximation. This study begins with the perspectives of Freud, Klein and some of their contemporary followers about how the girl becomes a woman and the impact of motherhood in women psyche; then, it discusses the importance of the complex web involved in the early relationships; it shows the skills of the newborn baby, its use of the five senses, and the concept of states of conscience; it addresses how neuroscience has confirmed the issues related to the centrality of the early relationships discussed by psychoanalysis; it approaches the aspects relating to the interactions between mother and baby and their effects, focusing specially in the understanding of motherhood depression in the puerperal period. In a second stance, our work discusses the interviews we have made with pediatricians professionals giving an early medical care to mother and baby who have a diverse experience in medical practice. Our work addresses the universe they present, and observes the reflections that come from these productive contacts, articulating them with the theoretical knowledge offered by psychoanalysis. By this light, we intend to examine and observe the ability pediatricians have in the diagnosis of puerperal depression; to investigate the attention they give to the aspects of mother-baby relationship and their impact on child development; and to show how psychology and psychoanalysis are able to furnish useful tools to pediatrics.

Bakgrund: Postpartumdepression drabbar mellan 8-15 procent av kvinnor som föder barn. Depressionen bryter oftast ut några veckor efter förlossningen och kan vara upp till ett år eller mer och innebär ett stort lidande för den som drabbas. Studier visar att en stor del av de som drabbas inte söker hjälp, vilket visar på behovet av att sjuksköterskan fångar upp dessa kvinnor för att tidigt erbjuda stöd och behandling. Syfte: Syftet med litteraturöversikten var att undersöka vilka barriärer kvinnor drabbade av postpartumdepression upplever för att söka hjälp. Metodbeskrivning: Allmän litteraturöversikt valdes som metod, tio kvalitativa studier valdes utifrån databaserna PubMed och CINAHL. Artiklarna kvalitetgranskades utifrån en kvalitetsmall. Tre kategorier utformades därefter av den analyserade datan. Resultat: De kategorier som identifierades som barriärer var; kvinnorna själva, familj och omgivning samt sjukvården. Det identifierades en stor okunskap om postpartumdepression bland de deltagande kvinnorna, vilket ledde till att de normaliserade sina symtom och avvaktade med att söka hjälp. Rädslan för att bli stigmatiserade och att uppfattas som dåliga mammor var ytterligare en barriär. Bristande stöd från sjukvården framkom som ytterligare barriärer. Slutsats: Kvinnor upplever ett stigma kopplat till psykisk ohälsa och moderskap, vilket leder till att de inte söker hjälp. En ofta upplevd oförståelse inför sina symtom leder till att kvinnor normaliserar dem. En stöttande sjukvård är av största vikt, sjuksköterskans arbete kan bidra till att bryta stigmat och skapa en trygg och fördomsfri miljö där kvinnor kan öppna upp sig. / Background: Postpartum depression affects around 8-15 percent of women who have given birth. Symptoms present within a few weeks and can last upwards of a year; and cause a great deal of suffering to the women experiencing it. Evidence suggests women do not seek help for their depressive symptoms, which highlights the need of nurses to identify symptoms and offer treatment and support. Aim: The aim of this literature review is to examine the experienced barriers among women to seek help for postpartum depression. Method: The studies analysed in this literature review were chosen from the databases PubMed and CINAHL. Ten studies were included. Quality of the articles was identified using a criteria and three categories were found within the findings. Results: The three categories concerned the women, their surrounding and the health care as barriers. Stigmatisations attached to mental healt issues and the ‘ideal’ image of motherhood created a major barrier to seek help. Women experienced a lack of knowledge and understanding of PPD, they often normalised the symptoms and explained them with external factors. A lack of support from health care also posed as barriers when seeking help. Conclusion: Women experience numerous stigmatisations related to mental health issues and the ‘ideal’ image of motherhood, which figured as a major barrier to seek help. This study reiterates the importance of having supportive health care; with the nurse playing an important role in breaking this stigma and creating a safe environment for women to share their experiences.

Postpartum Depression (PPD) occurs in 10-20% of new mothers. PPD can lead to serious health risks to both the mother and infant, increase the risk of complications during birth, and cause lasting effects on the development and wellbeing of the child. Many mothers suffering from PPD do not receive treatment due to fear of being stigmatized, lack of education, or not being able to access mental health services. High prevalence of PPD, along with the negative and lasting effects it can cause point to the importance of developing an effective and feasible method of assessing and treating this disorder. A pediatric primary care office may be an opportune setting to screen for PPD since mothers often accompany their children to regularly scheduled well child visits. While some studies have examined PPD screening within the pediatric primary care setting, few have explored the addition of an on-site Behavioral Health Consultant to provide brief interventions for depressed mothers as part of a stepped care model. The primary aim of the current study is assess the feasibility of implementing a stepped care protocol that assesses PPD and provides brief interventions and referrals for depressed mothers within a pediatric primary care clinic. The protocol consists of several phases including: 1) distribution of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Screener to every mother arriving for a well child visit during the first six months of their child’s life; 2) appropriate documentation in the clinic’s electronic health record (EHR) of the Edinburgh score and resulting plan of action; 3) a brief same day intervention by the on-site Behavioral Health Consultant and referral to outside provider, if applicable; and 4) phone call follow up with the mother and referred provider, if applicable. Research assistants will monitor the EHR to determine the clinic’s fidelity to the protocol (e.g., if the Edinburgh is being administered properly). Data will also be collected from the EHR to determine if a correlation exists between Edinburgh scores and number of Emergency Room visits made by the child, immunizations administered to the child, and number of well child checks the child attended. Data collected throughout the month of March showing the Edinburgh uptake, consistency with protocol, and any correlation between Edinburgh scores and other variables will be presented.

The purpose of this study was to identify barriers to receiving services for women suffering with Postpartum Depression (PPD) in the San Bernardino and Riverside County areas. 11 - 20% of mothers experience symptoms of PPD, which if left untreated can negatively impact the mother-infant relationship, ultimately affecting the entire family unit. Past studies have identified a variety of barriers to receiving treatment for PPD. However, research has not focused specifically on the obstacles mothers face in these two neighboring counties. The study utilized an online self-administered questionnaire developed by the researchers to identify barriers to treatment for PPD. There were 41 participants from San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. The questionnaire was intended to be distributed to service providers that come into contact with this vulnerable population; primarily social workers, licensed therapists, masters of social work (MSW) students student interns, physicians, registered nurses, and midwives. However, because a snowball sampling technique was used, it was possibly sent to other professionals who come into contact with this population. Our study found that most of the barriers identified in previous studies also applied to our participants. The barriers rated highest in terms of limiting access to PPD services were a physician’s lack of time with patients, knowledge of PDD symptoms, the patient’s relationship to physician, and limits in coverage, as well as knowledge of services covered, lack of emotional support from significant other and/or family members, and transportation challenges including distance from providers. Additional barriers that were recognized in the literature and in our research, were education barriers, cultural barriers, stigma associated with postpartum depression, fear of child welfare officials, lack of culturally sensitive screening tools, and fears surrounding the use of medication. The results from this study may help practitioners and researchers better understand the barriers women with PPD face in accessing services, and may help service providers tailor their treatments and services accordingly. Additionally, the knowledge gained from the research may also inspire policy changes to improve women’s access to PPD services.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant public health issue. Up to 20% of women are affected by depression following childbirth. PPD is associated with anxiety, poor adjustment and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and may lead to a woman's personal suffering, conflict with family members (especially in the relationship with partner) and developmental delays in children. Given the high prevalence of PPD and deleterious effects on both women and their families, adequate treatment is critical. While existing PPD treatments have strong efficacy data, the treatment literature suggests that many depressed postpartum women either do not receive treatment or receive suboptimal care. Further, barriers to care including medication side effects for breastfeeding women, stigma, and treatment preferences influence treatment decision-making. Thus, it may be worthwhile to examine the efficacy of a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatment option for PPD that is associated with minimal risk and consistent with maternal preferences. The current investigation examined the efficacy of a Gentle Vinyasa Flow yoga intervention for PPD. Fifty-seven postpartum women with a score of ≥12 on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups − yoga n = 28) or wait-list control (WLC) ((italic)n(/italic) = 29). The yoga intervention lasted 8 weeks, and consisted of 16 classes taught by a certified yoga instructor in a studio and the recommendation to practice once a week at home with the use of a DVD that included a 30 minute yoga sequence. The primary outcome, depression, was assessed using the clinician-rated HDRS and self-report measures. The HDRS was administered over the telephone by blinded raters at baseline and after 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of treatment. Secondary outcomes were anxiety, postpartum adjustment, and HRQOL, with exploratory outcomes including mindfulness and physical activity. These outcomes were assessed using self-report measures completed on the same schedule as that for the HDRS. Growth curve modeling was used to test the hypotheses that women in the yoga group would experience a significantly greater rate of change over the course of the 8-week intervention on primary and secondary outcome measures, relative to the WLC group. As predicted, controlling for age and social anxiety at baseline, women in the yoga group experienced a greater rate of change in depression and well-being scores over the course of the 8-week intervention. The yoga group also experienced a significantly greater rate of improvement on scores of anxiety, postpartum adjustment, HRQOL, and mindfulness over the 8-week intervention, relative to the control group. These findings support yoga as a promising CAM intervention for PPD; large-scale replication studies are warranted. The findings also shed light on potential mediator and intervention-relevant variables for future research. Yoga is an acceptable and low-risk treatment option that may have broader clinical implications for the PPD treatment literature, and the field of CAM more generally.