Unplanned, adverse events during labor or delivery may generate a negative response for the mother during the early postpartum period, resulting in disruption of usual functioning and mood. Alterations in maternal mood can lead to a more debilitating condition known as Postpartum Depression. Postpartum Depression negatively affects the quality of life and functional status of mothers and infants. High levels of maternal depressive symptoms are associated with parenting, infant attachment, behavioral problems and cognition (Beck 2002). Little research has been completed exploring the relationship of adverse, unplanned events in labor or delivery and maternal mood, functional status and infant care in the immediate postpartum period. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of adverse events in labor or delivery and mood, functional status and infant care at 2-weeks postpartum. The secondary aim was to explore the role of social support as a possible moderator in the relationship between adverse birth events and maternal outcomes. A secondary analysis of data was performed using data collected in a descriptive, longitudinal study examining the effects of antidepressant use during pregnancy. Participants included a convenience sample of 123 women. The main outcome measures included maternal mood, functional status, and infant care at 2-weeks postpartum. Adverse events in labor or delivery did not significantly predict mood (odds ratio =1.34, p=.536), functional status (R2 change = .001, p=.66), or infant care (R2 change=.004, p=.48) at 2-weeks postpartum when controlling for depression during pregnancy, antidepressant use at delivery, education level, age, and parity. Social support had significant effects on mood (p=.02), functional status (p=.014), and infant care (p < .001) but did not moderate the effect of adverse events when predicting mood (odds ratio=1.01, p=.045), functional status (R2 change =.009, p=.056) and infant care (R2 change<.001, p=.92). The occurrence of an adverse event in labor or delivery does not appear to predict alterations in mood, functional status, or infant care at 2-weeks postpartum. Although social support does appear to be related to mood, functional status and infant care, it does not appear to moderate the effect of adverse events on the selected outcomes.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PITT/oai:PITTETD:etd-12202007-132227 |
| Date | 31 January 2008 |
| Creators | Hunker, Diane F. |
| Contributors | Katherine Wisner, M.D., M.S., Susan Albrecht, PhD, RN, FAAN, Thelma Patrick, PhD, RN, Ellen Olshansky, DNSc, RNC, FAAN |
| Publisher | University of Pittsburgh |
| Source Sets | University of Pittsburgh |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-12202007-132227/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Pittsburgh or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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