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Predicting postpartum post-traumatic stress and depressive symptoms in low-risk women from distal and proximal factors: a biopsychosocial prospective study using structural equation modeling

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Posttraumatic stress (PTSD) and depression (PPD) are common mental disorders in the postpartum that constitute a threat both to the mother and the baby. It is unclear whether both disorders share similar antecedents, which is important to plan efficient interventions. The goal of this study was to examine the contribution of set of biopsychosocial predictors on both PTSD and PPD.

Methods

The study design was prospective. The study was conducted at Hospital Universitario de Fuenlabrada, a public university hospital located in the south of Madrid (Spain). The sample was composed of 116 pregnant women with low pregnancy risk. STROBE reporting guidelines were followed.

Results

The multivariate results show that psychopathology severity assessed during the first trimester (ß = 0.50, p < .001) and the Apgar score 5 min after delivery (ß = − 0.19, p = .030) were the two variables to significantly contribute to postpartum depressive symptoms. Conversely, only satisfaction with home care after delivery was independently associated with postpartum posttraumatic stress (ß = − 0.26, p = .016). The proposed model explained 21.8% of the variance of postpartum depressive symptoms (p = .041) and 27.1% of the variance of posttraumatic stress symptoms (p = .014).

Conclusion

Special attention should be given to shared and unique predictive factors of PDD and PTSD to develop effective prevention programs in perinatal care.

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Funding

This work was funded by the Health Research Fund (Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, FIS), Grant number PI07/0571 from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Rey Juan Carlos University, Avda. de Atenas s/n, Madrid, 28922, Alcorcón, Spain

    Patricia Catala & Cecilia Peñacoba

  2. Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Jaume I University, Castellón, Spain

    Carlos Suso-Ribera

  3. Department of Nursing and Stomatology. Rey Juan Carlos University, Avda. Atenas s/n, Alcorcón, Spain

    Dolores Marin

  4. Obstetrics Department, Hospital Universitario de Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Fuenlabrada, Spain

    Dolores Marin

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  1. Patricia Catala
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  2. Carlos Suso-Ribera
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  4. Cecilia Peñacoba
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Contributions

PC: conception and design of the work, analysis and interpretation of data; drafted the work; approved the version to be published; agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. CS: interpretation of data; revised the word critically for important intellectual content; approved the version to be published; agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. DM: analysis and interpretation of data; revised the word critically for important intellectual content; approved the version to be published; agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. CP: conception and design of the work, acquisition of data; drafted the work; approved the version to be published; agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

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Correspondence to Cecilia Peñacoba.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of the Hospital Universitario de Fuenlabrada (Reference PI07/0571).

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Catala, P., Suso-Ribera, C., Marin, D. et al. Predicting postpartum post-traumatic stress and depressive symptoms in low-risk women from distal and proximal factors: a biopsychosocial prospective study using structural equation modeling. Arch Gynecol Obstet 303, 1415–1423 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-020-05857-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-020-05857-z

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