Dagla M, Dagla C, Mrvoljak-Theodoropoulou I, Kavakou AT, Rigoutsou E, Antoniou E. Infant Sleep Difficulties at the 6
th Week and the 12
th Month Postpartum: What Is their Relationship with Maternal Mental Health and Other Perinatal Factors?
Mater Sociomed 2021;
33:21-25. [PMID:
34012345 PMCID:
PMC8116102 DOI:
10.5455/msm.2021.33.21-25]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Infant sleep difficulties are often a challenge for new parents and may be related to maternal mood.
AIM
The aim of this study was to investigate whether the presence of reported infant sleep difficulties at the 6th week and at the 12th month postpartum is associated with maternal psychological well-being and the presence of a mental health disorder in the perinatal period or with other perinatal factors.
METHODS
It is a retrospective longitudinal study, examining a sample of 622 women who attended a 12-month innovative psychosocial intervention. Data were obtained through the EPDS and PHQ-9 psychometric tools, and the completion of a health history. Statistical analyses included Spearman rank correlation coefficients and Chi-square tests.
RESULTS
Reported infant sleep difficulties at the 6th week postpartum were associated with a) increased maternal scores on psychometric tools (EPDS and PHQ-9) during pregnancy and at the 6th week postpartum, b) the presence of pathological maternal mental health symptoms in the perinatal period (p =.034), c) high maternal educational level (p <.001), and d) reported maternal breastfeeding difficulties at the 6th week postpartum (p =.031). Reported infant sleep difficulties at the 12th month postpartum were associated with a) increased maternal scores on the EPDS at the 6th week after birth (p =.030), and at the 6th (p =.031) and the 12th month (p =.006) postpartum, b) reported infant sleep difficulties (p <.001) and frequent infant awakenings in the puperperium (p <.001), d) maternal fatigue at the 6th week postpartum (p <.001), e) infant gastro-esophageal reflux problems (p <.001), and f) high maternal educational level (p =.001).
CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates a positive relationship between infant sleep difficulties at the 6th week and at the 12th months postpartum, with poor maternal mental health in the perinatal period.
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