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Abstract
: Recent research suggests that negative childbirth experiences may cause maternal maladjustment. The impact of intranatal emotional distress, intranatal physical discomfort and postnatal emotional evaluation of birth on symptoms of posttraumatic stress and depression is investigated with regard to the moderating role of emotional support from the partner.
Subjective childbirth experience measured with the German version of the Salmons Item List, obstetric characteristics and postnatal emotional support from the partner were assessed in 374 women six weeks after childbirth. Trauma symptoms and postnatal depression were measured five months after childbirth.
Postnatal emotional partner support acts as a moderator of the effect of the subjective childbirth experience on the development of symptoms of avoidance, intrusive thoughts and depression. The direct influence of emotional partner support is stronger regarding symptoms of depression and hyperarousal than regarding avoidance and intrusive thoughts. No direct association between intranatal physical discomfort/labour pain and later maternal adjustment could be found.
Women with a negative childbirth experience and poor emotional support from their partner are at increased risk for psychological maladjustment in the first five months after birth.
Acknowledgements
This study was conducted within the research project ‘Substance use and psychosocial risk of mothers in Switzerland’ which was supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (SFOPH Decree—No 03.001623 to Professor Dr A. Grob). The study was run at the Department of Personality, Individual Differences and Diagnostics, University of Berne. We thank Dr W. Kaelin for his support in data analysis, Mrs D. Bielinski for her support in the initial phase of this research project, Dr D. Coall for his invaluable help in proofreading the manuscript and the mothers who participated in the study.
