Depression and perceived autonomy support during pregnancy as a predictor of poor mother-infant bonding

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy and puerperium are times of particular vulnerability. Negative effects of perinatal depression on the mother-child interaction are well reported. However the influence of the women’s perceptions of their health care caregivers during pregnancy on post-partum bonding has not been clearly identified. This prospectively study investigated the influence of perinatal depression symptoms and a lack of perceived autonomy support from caregivers as hospital staff during pregnancy on post-partum mother-infant bonding. Methods: Samples of 160 French women were recruited during the last trimester of pregnancy (78 at 2 months post-partum follow-up). The mean of age of women is M= 30.99 years (SD= 4.21). Participants had completed measures of perinatal depression using the Edinburgh Prenatal Depression Scale (EPDS), satisfaction of hospital staff with the short form of the Health Care Communication Questionnaire (HCCQ) and the mother-infant bonding with the Post-partum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ). Findings: Prenatal depression and lack of perceived autonomy support significantly correlated with PBQ. In the final regression model, HCCQ (β= -.26; p=.03) and EPDS (β= .25; p=.03) in pregnancy period remained significant predictors of a poor post-partum bonding. Discussion: These results suggest that untreated depression and lack of perceived autonomy support from caregivers during pregnancy are associated with unfavourable outcomes for mother-infant bonding. Early identification of depression symptoms and the importance of support from healthcare professionals play an important role, especially because the quality of care from women’s perspective appears to influence bonding after birth.