Social Support, Postpartum Depression, and Professional Assistance: A Survey of Mothers in the Midwestern United States

Abstract

Transition into motherhood is generally a joyful life event; for some women, however, it is marked by emotional turmoil. Lack of support can be associated with postpartum depression and can compromise both the mother and infant. A descriptive, cross-sectional study (N 5 61) was conducted to explore the relationship between social support and postpartum depression and to determine whether mothers overwhelmed with childcare, or overwhelmed with life in general since becoming a mother, sought professional help. The results revealed that screening for depression alone may not be sufficient, that mothers are willing to contact a professional for help in the postpartum period, and that assessments after birth should include a broader assessment of life's difficulties rather than focusing on childcare responsibilities alone.

Behavioral and Psychosocial Health of New Mothers and Associations With Contextual Factors and Perceived Health

“…Social support was associated with less body image dissatisfaction, more physical activity, and decreased risk of depression. Although our design does not permit us to make causal interpretations, the findings indicate that the contextual variables of social support and perceived stress are indeed interrelated with psychosocial and behavioral health during the postpartum transition, a finding supported by previous research on postpartum depression (Beck, 2001;Corrigan et al, 2015). Our finding that lower alcohol use was associated with more stress is in partial agreement with findings that non-or infrequent drinkers have higher reported symptoms of distress (Rodgers, Parslow, & Degenhardt, 2007).…”

“…Stress can also play a role in smoking (Ansell, Gu, Tuit, & Sinha, 2012), postpartum smoking relapse (Correa, Simmons, Sutton, Meltzer, & Brandon, 2015;Park et al, 2009), and alcohol use (Hamilton, Ansell, Reynolds, Potenza, & Sinha, 2013). With regard to psychosocial health, postpartum stress may be a precursor of depression or depression symptoms (Beck, 2001), which are more likely to occur among mothers who have low social support (Beck, 2001;Corrigan, Kwasky, & Groh, 2015). Finally, unfavorable changes in women's feeling about their bodies (such as body image dissatisfaction) may occur postpartum, especially in women who have increasing body weight (Gjerdingen et al, 2009;Walker, 1998).…”

Depressão entre puérperas: prevalência e fatores associados

“…Esses achados mostram a importância de a gestante ser acolhida durante toda a sua internação, não apenas pela família e amigos, mas também pela equipe de saúde, pois poderia reduzir o risco de depressão 14 . Isso parece fortalecer a política de parto humanizado 15 , em que as ações preconizadas e executadas buscam reduzir a possibilidade de manifestação da depressão.…”

“…O suporte social pode ser identificado a partir da integração social do sujeito, por meio da rede de serviços e sensação de que pessoas próximas estão acessíveis, contribuindo para que se sinta seguro e amparado 13 . A falta desse apoio durante a gestação, seja da família, do companheiro ou de amigos, aumenta o risco para a ocorrência de depressão 14 . Dentro dessa temática, pouco se fala sobre o suporte fornecido pela equipe de saúde que atende o parto, não estando este relacionado ao aspecto técnico inerente a esta equipe.…”

Effects of Partners’ Attitudes towards Wife’s Aspirations on Depression after Childbirth

“…Social support may give directly beneficial effects on psychological well-being or protect persons from the potential adverse effects of stressful events (Cohen & Wills, 1985). The presence of social support prevents postpartum depression (Dennis & Ross, 2006;Corrigan, Kwasky, & Groh, 2015). During the perinatal period, most women listed their partners as the most reliable person whom they sought for social support (Kitamura, Toda, Shima, Sugawara, & Sugawara, 1998).…”