搜索结果：Journal of reproductive and infant psychology

Information on childhood cancer burden is crucial for effective cancer policy planning. Unfortunately, observed paediatric cancer data are not available in every country, and previous global burden estimates have not discretely reported several common cancers of childhood. We aimed to inform efforts to address childhood cancer burden globally by analysing results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2023, which now include nine additional cancer causes compared with previous GBD analyses. GBD 2023 data sources for cancer estimation included population-based cancer registries, vital registration systems, and verbal autopsies. For childhood cancers (defined as those occurring at ages 0-19 years), mortality was estimated using cancer-specific ensemble models and incidence was estimated using mortality estimates and modelled mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs). Years of life lost (YLLs) were estimated by multiplying age-specific cancer deaths by the standard life expectancy at the age of death. Prevalence was estimated using survival estimates modelled from MIRs and multiplied by sequelae-specific disability weights to estimate years lived with disability (YLDs). Disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were estimated as the sum of YLLs and YLDs. Estimates are presented globally and by geographical and resource groupings, and all estimates are presented with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). Globally, in 2023, there were an estimated 377 000 incident childhood cancer cases (95% UI 288 000-489 000), 144 000 deaths (131 000-162 000), and 11·7 million (10·7-13·2) DALYs due to childhood cancer. Deaths due to childhood cancer decreased by 27·0% (15·5-36·1) globally, from 197 000 (173 000-218 000) in 1990, but increased in the WHO African region by 55·6% (25·5-92·4), from 31 500 (24 900-38 500) to 49 000 (42 600-58 200) between 1990 and 2023. In 2023, age-standardised YLLs due to childhood cancer were inversely correlated with country-level Socio-demographic Index. Childhood cancer was the eighth-leading cause of childhood deaths and the ninth-leading cause of DALYs among all cancers in 2023. The percentage of DALYs due to uncategorised childhood cancers was reduced from 26·5% (26·5-26·5) in GBD 2017 to 10·5% (8·1-13·1) with the addition of the nine new cancer causes. Target cancers for the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) comprised 47·3% (42·2-52·0) of global childhood cancer deaths in 2023. Global childhood cancer burden remains a substantial contributor to global childhood disease and cancer burden and is disproportionately weighted towards resource-limited settings. The estimation of additional cancer types relevant in childhood provides a step towards alignment with WHO GICC targets. Efforts to decrease global childhood cancer burden should focus on addressing the inequities in burden worldwide and support comprehensive improvements along the childhood cancer diagnosis and care continuum. St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Gates Foundation, and St Baldrick's Foundation.

Maternal attachment mental state is critical in stress regulation and caregiving behaviours. However, most existing research relies on cross-sectional designs and self-reported attachment measures, which capture distinct but complementary aspects of attachment relative to interview measures. This longitudinal study examines the associations between maternal attachment mental states during pregnancy, postpartum stress and mother-infant bonding at 6-months postpartum. The study followed 98 White expectant mothers in Italy, assessing attachment mental states during the third trimester of pregnancy (M = 35.20 gestational weeks, SD = 2.20; Time 1, T1) using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). At 2-months postpartum (T2), maternal stress was measured via the Perceived Stress Scale, and at 6-months postpartum (T3), mother-infant bonding was evaluated using the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale. Of the initial sample, 91 mothers continued to T2, and 90 to T3. Mediation analyses examined whether postpartum stress mediated the relationship between maternal attachment coherence of mind and bonding. Mothers with lower coherence of mind during pregnancy─which is considered the single best indicator of attachment security in the AAI─reported higher postpartum stress at T2, which, in turn, was associated with lower-quality mother-infant bonding at T3. Postpartum stress mediates the relationship between maternal attachment mental states and bonding quality. These findings suggest that addressing attachment-related vulnerabilities and stress during the perinatal period may help support positive mother-infant relationships and developmental outcomes, although future research is needed to directly evaluate the effectiveness of specific interventions.

About 12% of mothers experience childbirth-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (CB-PTSS), which include childbirth-related intrusive memories (CB-IM). These memories involve the involuntary re-experiencing of distressing moments of the birth. Although CB-IM are the hallmark of a traumatic childbirth, there is limited knowledge about their content and other characteristics. This study aims to rigorously investigate the characteristics of CB-IM (count, content, and associated nowness, distress, and sensory modalities) and their relationships with CB-PTSS, which may ultimately inform the development of clinical interventions. Forty-four participants reported the characteristics of the 299 CB-IM they experienced in a 14-day long diary and their CB-PTSS in a questionnaire. A qualitative content analysis was performed on CB-IM content. Linear regressions and Poisson-like regression models tested the associations between different CB-IM characteristics and then with CB-PTSS. Six CB-IM content categories were identified: Physiological process of birth (11.78% of CB-IM qualitative content), Perceptions of complications (16.67%), Experiences of medical procedures (21.72%), Interpersonal stressors (17.68%), Negative emotions (18.01%), and Physical environment (14.14%). Re-experiencing Negative emotions (IRR = 1.05; p = .028) and Physical environment (IRR = 1.08; p = .010) was associated with more CB-PTSS. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the contents of CB-IM, and the associations of CB-IM characteristics with CB-PTSS, which is valuable knowledge for supporting individually tailored treatments.

This study aimed to assess the utilization and associated factors of second-dose measles vaccine among mothers with children less than two years old in Enderta district, South Eastern Tigray. A mixed community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Enderta district, South Eastern Tigray from January- to March 2020. The sample size of this study was 410 mothers, 10 in-depth interviews, and 2 focus group discussions. Multistage sampling technique for the quantitative data and purposive sampling for the qualitative data was used. Quantitative data were collected by the interviewer-administered questionnaires and entered and analyzed using Epi-data-3.1 and SPSS-20, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis was done and adjusted odds ratios measured the strength of statistical association at 95% confidence interval. Variables with a P-value&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.2 in the bivariate analysis were entered into multivariable analysis statistical significance was declared at P-value&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05. Thematic analysis was employed for the qualitative data. After the qualitative data was coded, themes were developed. The result of the qualitative data was presented and discussed by triangulating. Utilization of second dose measles-containing vaccine was 32.4%. Top reasons for not vaccinating second dose measles-containing vaccines to their children were: lack of awareness about the necessity of the vaccine, missing the appointment date, mother being too busy and absence of vaccine supply. In the multivariable analysis; children aged 18-23 months (AOR 0.5; CI (0.3-0.8)), number of children greater than five per family (AOR 2.3; CI (1.3-4.3)), type of health facility (AOR 1.7; CI (1.05-2.9)), children with a history of completed basic vaccines at 12 months (AOR 2.6; CI (1.5-4.3)) and knowledgeable mothers (AOR 1.67; CI (1.04-2.7)) were significantly associated with the taking of second dose measles vaccine of their last child. Despite the slight improvement from the regional and national Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey reports, utilization of second dose measles vaccine in this study was low.

The goal of this study was to understand perinatal care professionals' perceptions of perinatal mental health screening and determinants of equitable screening implementation. Study participants were perinatal care professionals (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;24), including obstetricians/gynaecologists, midwives, doulas, and other healthcare providers. Eligibility criteria required participants to either provide care to patients in the United States insured through Medicaid or other public insurance programs or work in practices serving individuals facing socioeconomic challenges. We conducted semi-structured interviews to explore participants' experiences with screening for perinatal mental health. Thematic analysis was employed to identify emergent themes related to the determinants of screening implementation, with the Health Equity Implementation Framework (HEIF) serving as the organising structure. Perinatal care professionals perceived screening results to facilitate discussion, awareness of mental health, and clinical decision-making. They identified several determinants influencing equitable implementation through impacting perceived screening validity, completion, patient experience, follow-up, and clinical workflows. Determinants aligned with the HEIF and included characteristics of the (1) screening (e.g. modality, frequency, type of tool), (2) perinatal individual, (3) perinatal care professionals, (4) clinical encounter, (5) other individuals involved before or after screening, and (6) context. Perinatal care professionals view screening as an important element of clinical decision-making. Reducing inequities in detecting perinatal mood and anxiety disorders requires offering screenings in patients' preferred languages, improving patient-provider relationships, and training to implement best practices. Future research should examine variations in screening implementation to ensure equitable detection of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

The aim of the current research was to explore how LGBTQ+ parents experience neonatal units in the United Kingdom and how they feel their own sexual orientation and/or gender identity impacted this experience. Admission of a baby to a neonatal unit can negatively impact parents' psychological wellbeing and parents of premature babies are at a higher risk of mental health difficulties. LGBTQ+ parents are more likely to experience discrimination and invalidation in healthcare. Family-centred care can promote respect and affirmation. However, much of the research focuses on cisgender heterosexual parents and there is little guidance for supporting LGBTQ+ families on neonatal units. Twelve parents were interviewed about their experience of their baby being admitted to a neonatal unit. Although the study aimed to recruit participants from all identities within the LGBTQ+ community, the majority of participants identified as female, and lesbian or queer. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings were separated into two meta-themes based on experiences as parents and experiences specific to lesbian and queer+ parents. The focus of the current paper discusses the themes identified within the meta-theme, 'experience as lesbian and queer+ parents in a neonatal unit'. Four themes were discussed: 'real and perceived threats', 'adapting to a heteronormative world', 'positive experiences' and 'actions speak louder than words'. The current research contributes to an important gap in the literature. Recommendations for clinical practice have been made, including the use of inclusive language and proactive actions.

Millions of people and couples worldwide are impacted by the complexand emotionally taxing medical issue of infertility. Infertility describes aperson's or a couple's inability to conceive a child or carry a pregnancy,leading to profound emotional, psychological, and social effects on them. Theresearch into the mental health of infertile women is crucial in the managementof outcomes of infertility. Against this background, this study aims to discover mental health challengesthat impact fertility in women and further help in the field to improve theoverall outlook on the condition. In adherence with Prisma Guidelines, a systematic search was carried out of theliterature published from 1 January 2010, to 3 March 2023, in PubMed, Cochrane,Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Open Alex. All the synonyms of keywords orMeSH terms for mental health, infertile women, infertile females, andinfertility were used. 1234 articles related to mental health and infertilityin women were found, and after following the inclusion and exclusion criteria,47 studies were retained. Infertile women experience mental health threats like anxiety, depression,stress, marital dissatisfaction, and lower quality of life. In addition to thepsychological and emotional burden of infertility, they often struggle with alack of social support and different types of abuse and violence in theirrelationships. With support from loved ones, support groups, and healthcare experts, timely, evidence-based, low-cost infertility interventions can provide great assistanceand successfully navigate the emotional difficulties experienced by infertilewomen.

Pregnancy and the first postpartum year are periods of increased vulnerability to depressive symptoms with important consequences for women and their infants. Timely identification is crucial, and validated instruments for peripartum depression detection according to the current diagnostic criteria are needed. This study translated and evaluated the Czech version of the Peripartum Depression Scale (CZ-PDS). In a cross-sectional online survey, 593 pregnant and postpartum women completed the CZ-PDS, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21, together with sociodemographic, obstetric and psychosocial questions. After removal of multivariate outliers, 550 participants (268 pregnant, 282 postpartum) were retained. Confirmatory factor analyses compared a nine-factor correlated model with hierarchical, bifactor and single-factor alternatives. Internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity and known-groups differences by psychiatric history were examined. The nine-factor correlated model showed excellent fit and outperformed hierarchical and bifactor models, which were also acceptable. However, the single-factor model had a poor fit. Internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's alpha and omega&#x2009;&#x2265;0.96). Convergent validity was supported by strong correlations with EPDS and DASS-21 depression scores. However, discriminant validity was only modest due to high correlations with DASS-21 anxiety and stress scores. Still, it was supported by the absence of associations with maternal age. Known-groups analyses showed significantly higher CZ-PDS scores among women with current or past mental health problems. The CZ-PDS appears to be a psychometrically robust, culturally adapted measure of peripartum depressive symptoms in Czech-speaking pregnant and postpartum women and can complement existing screening tools.

Prenatal events can influence maternal and offspring health, as supported by Barker's Hypothesis, which suggests that early environmental factors affect long-term health. Maternal interpersonal sensitivity (insecurity and discomfort in social interactions) has been linked to offspring introversion and depression in adulthood. Several studies have further established an association between maternal HPA axis activation, as measured by cortisol release, and adverse outcomes in child development. For that reason, this study assessed how maternal hair cortisol concentrations (HCC), prenatal stress and prenatal interpersonal sensitivity relate to offspring HCC and temperament at 36&#x2009;months. 51 mother-child-dyads participated, maternal stress was evaluated using psychological questionnaires, while interpersonal sensitivity was assessed with the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Besides, HCC were assessed during pregnancy and at 36&#x2009;months of delivery. Children's temperament was assessed using the Emotionality, Activity and Sociability Temperament Survey (EAS). A positive association was found between maternal prenatal HCC and interpersonal sensitivity with child HCC at 36&#x2009;months. Besides, higher prenatal maternal interpersonal sensitivity was related to low offspring sociability at 36&#x2009;months. These novel findings are of clinical relevance given the role of cortisol in offspring development and the potentially negative consequences of reduced sociability during childhood, which include rejection, low self-esteem, and increased risks of anxiety, depression, and internalising disorders.

Birth satisfaction indicates maternity care quality and is shaped by communication, involvement in decisions, continuity, and perceived safety. This study translated and culturally adapted the original Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) into Russian (RU-BSS-R) and evaluated its psychometric properties in a sample of Russian-speaking postpartum women. A cross-sectional online survey recruited postpartum Russian-speaking women. After screening, analyses included 223 respondents. Translation used dual forward translation, back-translation, expert adjudication, and cognitive pretesting. Validity was examined with confirmatory factor analysis of established models, correlations with single-item satisfaction, respectful care, and traumatic appraisal, divergent validity with maternal age, internal consistency by alpha and omega, and known-groups comparisons by mode of birth and parity. Three-factor, two-factor, and bifactor models showed excellent fit; the single-factor model fits poorly. Reliability was acceptable to good: alpha 0.71 (Stress), 0.70 (Attributes), 0.77 (Quality of Care), and 0.84 (total); omega total 0.85. Convergent validity was strong: total score correlated 0.77 with single-item satisfaction, 0.64 with respectful care, and -0.73 with traumatic appraisal. Divergent validity with maternal age was near zero. Known-groups results supported discriminant validity: unassisted vaginal birth exceeded emergency caesarean on Stress, Attributes, and total; multiparous women exceeded primiparous women on Stress and Attributes. Quality of Care was broadly similar across modes; effect sizes were small. The Russian BSS-R is a reliable, practical measure. The total score supports monitoring, while domain profiles highlight priorities such as preparation for labour, real-time communication, and visible support to strengthen agency and reduce perceived strain.

Previous research established the key role of caregiver responsiveness in favourable infant development. This study examined psychological determinants of caregiver responsiveness in a non-clinical sample of mothers of infants in the first year of life. We conducted an online survey including two self-report measures of caregiver responsiveness (Maternal Responsiveness Questionnaire, MRQ, and Parental Responsiveness Scale, PRS), as well as measures of parental stress (Parental Stress Scale), depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), and Big-Five personality traits (International Personality Item Pool - Big Five Markers, 20-item version). The sample included 184 mothers, most of whom had higher education. Parental stress was significantly directly associated with lower caregiver responsiveness. Additionally, depressive symptoms partially mediated the relationship (for MRQ, but not PRS) between parental stress and responsiveness. The effects of personality traits were not statistically significant. Parental stress emerged as the most consistent predictor of caregiver responsiveness, underscoring its central role in relation to parental behaviour. The results were consistent across the two different measures of caregiver responsiveness.

Maternal depressive symptoms are common during pregnancy and may negatively impact the mother-infant relationship, particularly the development of maternal prenatal representations. This study used a randomised controlled trial to examine whether the interactive ultrasound intervention could improve the quality of prenatal representations of the child among pregnant women with minor depressive symptoms. Participants (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;105) were recruited after the routine screening for structural abnormalities between gestational weeks 19 and 21. Prenatal representations were assessed twice during pregnancy, at gestational weeks M&#x2009;=&#x2009;25 and M&#x2009;=&#x2009;35, using the Working Model of the Child Interview. Participants were randomly selected either to the intervention group, which received three interactive ultrasound intervention sessions following the protocol, or the control group, receiving standard care. The intervention aimed to support the prenatal mother - infant relationship by facilitating and strengthening pregnant women's representations of their foetuses, and by increasing maternal involvement and emotional connection with the foetus. Women in both groups showed high levels of nonbalanced, particularly distorted, representations. For 25% of participants, nonbalanced representations became balanced during the study period. However, the intervention did not improve the quality of representations beyond changes observed in both groups. Especially, balanced prenatal representations remained substantially stable in both groups. The interactive ultrasound intervention did not have a significant effect. However, the findings provide unique insights into the quality of prenatal representations among women with minor depressive symptoms and highlight the importance of supporting their representational processes during pregnancy.

Diabetes in pregnancy is considered high-risk due to the increased risks of adverse perinatal outcomes. It was reported that women with type 1 diabetes (T1D) or gestational diabetes (GDM) have fears of complications and lack of psychological support. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of women with T1D and GDM during the pre-pregnancy, antenatal, and postpartum periods, compared to women without diabetes. Participants who attended the antenatal clinic at the Royal North Shore Hospital were contacted via email. The interviews were semi-structured and one-on-one via phone calls. Transcripts were analysed using an inductive and descriptive coding approach. Seventeen women (6 T1D, 8 GDM, and 3 control) were interviewed. Five main topics were identified: (1) Concerns before conception, (2) Challenges of antenatal diabetes management, (3) Experience in postpartum period, (4) Interactions with healthcare staff, and (5) Supportive family network. Women with T1D had more concerns prior to pregnancy than women with GDM, whereas women with GDM found antenatal diabetes management more challenging than women with T1D. The support received during recovery in hospital after birth was limited due to lack of healthcare staff. These findings shed light on the extra burden of pre-pregnancy and antenatal care in women with T1D and GDM. Healthcare systems should adjust models of care accordingly to provide necessary support and alleviate concerns specific to women's pregnancy experiences. Better patient handover between hospitals should be prioritised to improve continuation of care for all women in the postpartum period.

This study recruited a panel of experts to reach a consensus regarding the most significant interpersonal relationship issues experienced during infertility and/or fertility treatment. Researchers, health professionals, and people with lived infertility/fertility treatment experience participated in three online surveys. The first survey asked participants to write the most significant relationship issues that they think people can experience during infertility and/or fertility treatment (N&#x2009;=&#x2009;90, 99% female from Australia and New Zealand, the U.S.A. the UK, Italy, Japan, & Portugal; 19 identified as a researcher, 19 as a health professional, 58 with lived experience). Across two subsequent surveys, the panel rated the set of 82 identified relationship issues in terms of significance. Eleven relationship issues were identified as the final set of the most significant relationship issues. The issues related to social connections generally (i.e. seeing and interacting with people who appear to conceive easily, a lack of understanding from others, and emotional experiences, mental health issues, and infertility stress negatively affecting relationships), romantic relationships (i.e. sexual satisfaction and intimacy issues, sexual functioning issues and emotional experiences and infertility stress negatively affecting the relationship), friendships (i.e. dealing with and responding to a friend's pregnancy or parenting journey). A relationship issue (negative thoughts and feelings) with the self was identified. A range of relationship issues, spanning the entire social network, are experienced during infertility and/or fertility treatments. Researchers and professionals should focus on better understanding and addressing the most significant relationship issues identified to enhance health.

Pregnancy is a critical period for safeguarding maternal and foetal health, often involving diagnostic and screening methods to detect risks early. These decisions impact not only the foetus (e.g. abortion) but also the mother (e.g. anxiety, depression), the partner (e.g. family conflict), and society. The prenatal period is especially complex due to the physical, psychological, and social changes it entails. This study aims to explore in depth the psychological and social experiences of women who were informed of a potential foetal anomaly during pregnancy but ultimately gave birth to healthy babies. Rather than focusing solely on the diagnostic process, the study sought to understand how women internally managed the uncertainty and emotional burden. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach and interviewed 18 women who were informed of a potential foetal anomaly but gave birth to healthy babies. A total of 151 pages of transcribed data were thematically analysed using Maxqda software. Six themes emerged: confronting anomaly suspicion, the socio-psychological state of the pregnant woman, reactions from family and partner, process management, difficulties encountered, and emotions during childbirth. Participants reported significant emotional impact upon learning of a possible foetal anomaly, followed by socio-psychological challenges after the diagnosis. The findings demonstrate that prenatal anomaly diagnoses affect women on multiple levels, transcending the clinical domain. Holistic prenatal care that acknowledges emotional, social, and cultural dimensions - alongside medical needs - is essential for supporting women during these experiences.

Perinatal psychiatric and psychosocial problems lead to a higher risk of negative outcomes for mother and child. Treatment is challenging, due to barriers on patient, provider, and system level. Multidisciplinary integrated care, as provided by Dutch POP (Psychiatry-Obstetrics-Paediatrics) -outpatient clinics, can help to overcome these challenges. This study aims to investigate the compliance with and the experiences with a POP-outpatient clinic from patients' and POP-specialists' perspectives. All women registered at the POP-outpatient clinic at Medical Centre Leeuwarden (the Netherlands) over an interval of 8&#x2009;months were eligible for retrospective data-analysis to examine retention and adherence rates, to examine compliance. To explore experiences, semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients (purposive sampling) and POP-specialists (full population sampling). Descriptive statistics and inductive thematic analysis were performed. Of all patients (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;103), the retention and adherence rates were 86.4% and 65.0%. Analysis of patients' interviews (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;8) showed various themes: (1) meeting needs by personalised care, (2) importance of (multidisciplinary) communication (3) more barriers experienced by more frequent healthcare users. Analysis of POP-specialists' interviews (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;7) showed the following themes: (1) importance of personalised care, (2) focus on prevention (3) limitations due to lack of continuity of care. This study supports the acceptability of the (MCL-)POP-outpatient clinic. Patients and POP-specialists underscore the need of personalised care. While patients also find communication and a trustful relationship with the healthcare professional important, POP-specialists are more inclined to focus on social context and prevention. These different views provide ground for future research on multidisciplinary care in perinatal mental healthcare.

Medical events during birth and self-reported birth experience may influence early relational health (ERH) in the postpartum period. Limited longitudinal work has been conducted in this area, particularly among women who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this study was to assess labour and delivery characteristics and maternal birth satisfaction as predictors of ERH domains of mother-reported bonding and observed emotional connection in the first year of life among women who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants included mothers (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;384) with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy who gave birth at three U.S.-based academic medical centres who were enrolled in the Epidemiology of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 in Pregnancy and Infancy COVID-19 Mother Baby Outcomes (ESPI COMBO) Study. Labour and delivery information was abstracted from medical records. Mothers completed surveys assessing birth satisfaction (2&#x2009;months) and bonding (4&#x2009;months postpartum). A remote (Zoom) video visit was conducted at 4-6&#x2009;months postpartum and observed mother-infant emotional connection was coded using the Welch Emotional Connection Screen. We evaluated study aims using structural equation models. Maternal and infant medical risks (e.g. maternal complications, unplanned caesarean deliveries, care escalation) were associated with lower maternal birth satisfaction, which in turn predicted lower mother-reported bonding and observed emotional connection in infancy. Results provide insight into perinatal determinants of early relational health among infants born during the COVID-19 pandemic and inform transdisciplinary clinical care approaches to support families and children in the transition to motherhood.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of excessive crying (EC) in Japanese infants and determine whether EC at two months postpartum is associated with mother-infant bonding at five months postpartum. The participants were mothers aged 18&#x2009;years or older who were hospitalised after the delivery of a full-term, singleton baby. They were recruited during their postpartum stay at a university hospital and were surveyed at two and five months postpartum using online questionnaires. The collected data were analysed using bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses. A total of 142 mothers agreed to participate and provided written informed consent; among them, 108 and 107 responded to the survey at two and five months postpartum, respectively. The prevalence of EC among the participants was 15.7% and 6.5% at two and five months of age, respectively. Multiple logistic regression showed that EC at two months and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score at five months postpartum were associated with mother-infant bonding at five months postpartum (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 8.72, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10-69.29; AOR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.19-1.87, respectively). This study is the first to show that EC at two months was associated with mother-infant bonding at five months postpartum. Mothers of infants exhibiting EC need continuous support, even after EC subsides.

Childbirth-related pelvic floor injuries and conditions (PFICs) can interfere with daily functioning and increase vulnerability to postpartum mental health concerns. In this study we explored the ways in which PFICs may also disrupt maternal role development and bonding. Individuals with persistent postpartum pelvic floor concerns completed a cross-sectional survey that included validated measures of pelvic floor symptoms, parental competency, and role restriction, and an open-ended response question about the impact of pelvic floor symptoms on their relationship with their baby/children. We conducted independent samples t-tests, bivariate correlations, and multiple regression analyses for quantitative data and inductive thematic analysis for qualitative data. Of the 222 participants, 56% indicated that their relationship with their baby/child had been impacted by their pelvic floor symptoms; this group reported, on average, greater parental competency difficulties (2.57 vs 2.33, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;.010) and a more restricted role (3.56 vs. 3.26, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;.014). Pelvic floor symptom-related distress scores were associated with greater parental competency difficulties and role restriction. Through thematic analysis we identified five major themes related to how PFICs affected the maternal-child relationship, including activity limitations (particularly carrying or babywearing), bonding difficulties, discrepancy between expectations and reality of motherhood due to PFICs, trouble being present with children, and regret or resentment towards their baby. PFICs were meaningfully connected to difficulties with maternal role adjustment, maternal-child bonding, and overall wellbeing in the postpartum period. These findings highlight the value of integrating physical health considerations, including pelvic floor symptoms, into our understanding of maternal-child bonding.