Emotional reactivity in infants with congenital heart defects and maternal symptoms of postnatal depression

Abstract

The object of this study was to examine the role of emotional reactivity in infants with congenital heart defects (CHD) in relation to their mothers' symptoms of postnatal depression. The study population was drawn from the Norwegian country-wide CHD registry from the Department of Pediatric Cardiology at Oslo University Hospital and the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. Mother-infant dyads with mild/moderate or severe CHD (n=242) were assessed with a 6-item short version (EPDS-6) of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Infant Characteristic Questionnaire's fussy/difficult subscale (ICQ-D/F-7) at 6 months postpartum. When adjusting for infant emotional reactivity, mothers of infants with severe CHD showed significantly elevated symptoms of postnatal depression 6 months postpartum (odds ratio=2.22) compared to the mothers of infants with mild/moderate CHD. The results identify severe CHD in infants as a predictor of heightened symptoms of postnatal depression in mothers, independent of the infant's emotional reactivity. Although a causal direction underlying the association could not be determined, the possible, negative reciprocal relationships between severe CHD in infants, high levels of emotional reactivity in infants, and symptoms of maternal postnatal depression are considered.

Depression and anxiety in women with epilepsy during pregnancy and after delivery: A prospective population‐based cohort study on frequency, risk factors, medication, and prognosis

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Mental Health Among Parents of Children With Critical Congenital Heart Defects: A Systematic Review

“…Table provides descriptive information for the studies . The review is organized according to the following areas of mental health: (I) trauma, (II) depression and anxiety, (III) general indicators of psychological stress/distress and well‐being, and (IV) parenting stress.…”

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Improving maternal–infant bonding after prenatal diagnosis of CHD

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