Trajectories of the Psychological Status of Mothers of Infants With Nonsyndromic Orofacial Clefts: A Prospective Cohort Study From the Japan Environment and Children’s Study

Abstract

Objective: This study examined psychological status trajectories of mothers of infants with nonsyndromic orofacial clefts in Japan. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Data from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. Participants: Infants with a nonsyndromic cleft (N = 148) including cleft lip and palate (CLP; n = 72), cleft lip (CL; n = 46), and cleft palate (CP; n = 30). The control group included unaffected infants (N = 84 454). Main Outcome Measures: At 15 weeks and 27 weeks of pregnancy and 12 months after birth, the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (clinical cutoff ≥5) was used. At 1 month and 6 months after birth, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (clinical cutoff ≥9) was used. Results: Prenatal diagnosis rates were unavailable. Mothers of infants with CLP had higher psychological distress than controls at 27 weeks of pregnancy (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.06-1.74) and postnatal depression at 1 month after birth (PR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.53-3.19). Mothers of infants with CP showed heightened psychological distress at 27 weeks of pregnancy (PR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.21-2.17) and postnatal depression 6 months after birth (PR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.01-3.43). There was no significant association between CL and maternal psychological status. At 12 months after birth, no differences in distress were found between mothers of infants with a cleft and controls. Conclusions: Mothers of infants with orofacial clefts may need psychosocial support, particularly during pregnancy and the first year after birth.

Management of orofacial cleft in Nigeria - A retrospective study

“…[ 15 16 ] Other authors have however reported CL and palate to be more prevalent in their centers. [ 17 18 19 20 ] Furthermore, similar to previous studies, we found unilateral clefts occurring more often on the left than the right side. [ 11 21 ]…”

Raising a Child with Craniosynostosis: Psychosocial Adjustment in Caregivers

“…Participating parents also reported significantly more symptoms of depression, although scores remained in the ‘normal’ range. These findings are similar to previous quantitative literature examining the impact of non-syndromic craniosynostosis on parenting stress (Rosenberg et al, 2011) and the psychological impact of other craniofacial conditions on parents, such as CL/P (Sato et al, 2021; Stock, Costa et al, 2020). Additional single-item data demonstrated parents may feel upset, shocked, worried, guilty, and/or blamed by others after receiving their child’s diagnosis of craniosynostosis.…”

“…Importantly, research suggests that good relationships with health professionals is imperative for familial adjustment. For example, Stock, Costa and colleagues (2020) found that dissatisfaction with healthcare was a key risk factor for psychological distress in parents of children with CL/P. Further, research has suggested that non-specialist health professionals, such as pediatricians, midwives, and general practitioners, may themselves feel ill-equipped to care for families with rare conditions (Stock and Costa, 2020).…”

Posttraumatic Growth and its Correlates Among Parents of Children With Cleft Lip and/or Palate

“…The initial diagnosis, repeated hospitalizations for surgeries, and intermittent clinic visits cause psychological distress and economic burden for children as well as their families. [3][4][5] The concept of child health includes both the child and the family because of children's dependence on their caregivers and family. 6 Studies have shown that the sociodemographic characteristics and the health status of mothers are associated with parent-child interactions, which as a result may influence the children's health outcomes.…”

“…The majority of studies have focused on negative adjustment in parents of children with CL/P and revealed that some parents experienced psychological shock, feelings of guilt, stress, depression, and sorrow. 3,8,9 Moreover, some researchers have found that having a child with CL/P impacts the parental quality of life. 4,10,11 Although some parents of children with CL/P have experienced negative emotions and psychological distress, studies have shown that certain positive effects can emerge through the struggle with traumatic events and treatment-related experiences.…”