Work

Postpartum post-traumatic stress symptoms and mother-infant bonding: A population-based cross-sectional study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Postpartum post-traumatic stress symptoms are associated with negative outcomes for women's mental health and may disrupt the development of the mother-infant bond. However, previous research has reported inconsistent findings. The aim was to examine the predictive role of postpartum post-traumatic stress symptoms on mother-infant bonding 6 to 12 weeks after birth in a population-based sample. METHOD: This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 and included 598 women 6 to 12 weeks postpartum. Postpartum post-traumatic stress symptoms were measured using the City Birth Trauma Scale, and mother-infant bonding was assessed with the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between post-traumatic stress symptoms and mother-infant bonding, adjusting for maternal age, parity, mode of birth, educational level, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: The mean score on the City Birth Trauma Scale was 8.4, and 5.5 on the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire. A total of 1.5 % of participants scored above the cut-off for significant bonding difficulties. Higher levels of postpartum post-traumatic stress symptoms were significantly associated with greater bonding difficulties (B = 0.380, p < 0.005). This association remained significant after adjustment for background variables and depressive symptoms (B = 0.113, p = 0.007). Primiparity, higher educational attainment, and depressive symptoms were also significantly associated with bonding difficulties (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that postpartum post-traumatic stress symptoms negatively affect the development of the mother-infant bond. A targeted screening of post-traumatic stress symptoms and bonding difficulties is recommended, followed by appropriate support in postpartum care.

Source: Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare

DOI: 10.1016/j.srhc.2025.101140

Authors: Valgerður Lísa Sigurðardóttir, Guðrún Anna Hákonardóttir, Stefanía Birna Arnardóttir, Linda Bára Lýðsdóttir, Emma Marie Swift

Institutions: University of Iceland, National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavík University

Language: English

Topic: Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,850