Anxiety, depression, and perceived wellbeing in antenatal women at risk of preterm birth: a retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Women identified at risk for preterm may be vulnerable to developing mental health difficulties due to the increased likelihood of poor pregnancy outcome and uncertainty surrounding their delivery. Formal assessment of mental wellbeing in specialist preterm birth clinics is not routinely offered, but may offer the opportunity for early intervention.

Methods: We aimed to investigate if demographic characteristics and obstetric risk factors were associated with psychological wellbeing in women at risk of preterm birth.

Current policy and practice for the identification, management, and treatment of postpartum anxiety in the United Kingdom: a focus group study.

Background: Postpartum Anxiety [PPA] is a prevalent problem in society, posing a significant burden to women, infant health, and the National Health Service [NHS]. Despite this, it is poorly detected by current maternal mental health practices. Due to the current lack of appropriate psychometric measures, insufficiency in training of healthcare professionals, fragmentation of maternal mental healthcare policy and practice, and the magnitude of the effects of PPA on women and their infants, PPA is a critical research priority.

Freedom for some, but not for Mum: the reproductive injustice associated with pandemic 'Freedom Day' for perinatal women in the United Kingdom.

Introduction: Healthcare services for pregnant and postpartum ('perinatal') women were reconfigured significantly at the advent and for the duration of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and despite the United Kingdom announcing 'Freedom Day' on 19 July 2021 (whereafter all legal lockdown-related restrictions were lifted), restrictions to maternity (antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal) services remained. This study presents data from eight perinatal women about their experiences of psychosocial wellbeing and maternity care in the post-'Freedom Day' epoch.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted virtually, with data recorded, transcribed, and analysed by hand.

Postpartum-Specific Anxiety and Maternal-Infant Bonding: A Predictive Validity Study amongst Italian Women.

The role of anxiety is unknown in relation to postpartum bonding, unlike the well-known detrimental effect that postpartum depression has on the relationship between a mother and child. This study investigates how anxiety affects mother-infant bonding after childbirth, comparing the Italian version of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS-IT) with generalized measures of anxiety. Examining 324 non-randomly-selected participants responding to various scales, including the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), postpartum-specific anxiety scale (PSAS-IT), postpartum bonding questionnaire (PBQ), and baby care questionnaire (BCQ-2), initial results suggest a link between certain postpartum anxiety symptoms and attachment problems.

Validity and reliability of an Arabic-language version of the postpartum specific anxiety scale research short-form in Jordan.

Objective: The English-language Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS) is a valid, reliable measure for postpartum anxiety (PPA), but its 51-item length is a limitation. Consequently, the PSAS Working Group developed the PSAS Research Short-Form (PSAS-RSF), a statistically robust 16-item tool that effectively assesses PPA. This study aimed to assess and validate the reliability of an Arabic-language version of the PSAS-RSF in Jordan (PSAS-JO-RSF).

Virtual reality interventions designed to support parents during and throughout the first year after birth: A scoping review.

Objective: Virtual reality (VR) has become increasingly popular in clinical and health settings where it has been used for a wide range of purposes. A recent scoping review explored VR applications to assist pregnant women and found that VR was a useful method to be used for a range of different purposes in both pregnancy and labour. However, no such review exists for the period after birth.

The social and healthcare professional support drawn upon by women antenatally during the COVID-19 pandemic: A recurrent, cross-sectional, thematic analysis.

Objective: To explore antenatal experiences of social and healthcare professional support during different phases of social distancing restriction implementation in the UK.

Design: Semi-structured interviews were conducted via telephone or video-conferencing software between 13 July 2020 - 2 September 2020. Interviews were transcribed and a recurrent, cross-sectional, thematic analysis was conducted.

Measurement invariance analysis of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale - Research Short Form in mothers of premature and term infants.

Objective: Mothers of premature infants are more likely to develop anxiety during the first postpartum year than mothers of term infants. However, commonly used measures of anxiety were developed for general adult populations and may produce spurious, over-inflated scores when used in a postpartum context. Although perinatal-specific tools such as the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale [PSAS] offer a promising alternative form of measurement, it is not clear whether the measure performs similarly in mothers of premature infants as it does in mothers of term infants.

Associations between prematurity, postpartum anxiety, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and stress.

Introduction: It is well established that a premature birth increases the likelihood of developing anxiety during the postpartum period, and that the environment of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) might be a contributing factor. Mothers of earlier premature infants may experience these anxieties to a higher degree compared to mothers of later premature infants. The aim of this study was to explore the association between prematurity and postpartum-specific anxiety, and the relationship between postpartum-specific anxiety and stress in the NICU.

Experiences of postpartum anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed methods study and demographic analysis.

Introduction: The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic saw the reconfiguration of perinatal and maternity services, national lockdowns, and social distancing measures which affected the perinatal experiences of new and expectant parents. This study aimed to explore the occurrence of postpartum anxieties in people who gave birth during the pandemic.

Methods: An exploratory concurrent mixed-methods design was chosen to collect and analyse the quantitative and qualitative data of an online survey during the first UK lockdown.

A consensus statement on perinatal mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and recommendations for post-pandemic recovery and re-build.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant lifecourse rupture, not least to those who had specific physical vulnerabilities to the virus, but also to those who were suffering with mental ill health. Women and birthing people who were pregnant, experienced a perinatal bereavement, or were in the first post-partum year (i.e.

An interpretive phenomenological analysis of the experiences of mothers who continue to breastfeed despite facing difficulties.

Background: Breastfeeding offers many health benefits to mother and infant.

Problem: Breastfeeding difficulties are common and are linked with postnatal distress.

Aim: To explore the lived experiences of breastfeeding continuation despite facing difficulties.

The identification and measurement of postpartum anxiety in England: A Delphi survey.

Postpartum anxiety has negative consequences for both mother and infant, so effective identification and measurement is vital to enable intervention. Despite NICE recommendations to prioritise the measurement of postpartum anxiety in mothers, current clinical measurement in England remains both fragmented and flawed. The Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale [PSAS] offers an alternative, as it measures maternal-focused anxieties which can enable specifically targeted interventions.

The Italian language postpartum specific anxiety scale [PSAS-IT]: translation, psychometric evaluation, and validation.

Introduction: While often positive, the lifecourse transition to motherhood is susceptible to the risk for developing mood disorders. Postpartum anxiety has often been overshadowed by other perinatal-specific mental health disorders, such as postpartum depression, and therefore has not been at the forefront or center of as much empirical study. This has meant there is a lack of effective and reliable tools with which to measure it, despite growing evidence suggesting its detrimental impact on mothers, their babies, wider family and social contacts, and on healthcare systems.

Psychometric evaluation of the postpartum specific anxiety scale - research short-form among iranian women (PSAS-IR-RSF).

Background: The increasing prevalence of postpartum anxiety as a common psychological problem affects a large part of women's lives. Despite the existence of tools in this field, but due to the lack of specificity in reflecting postpartum anxiety, it is necessary to have a specific tool to screen it. Since the psychometric evaluation of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale-Research Short-Form (PSAS-RSF) among Iranian women has not been assessed in Iran until now, so we decided to conduct this study with the aim of psychometric evaluation of the PSAS-IR-RSF.

Validation of the Iranian version of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale 12-item research short-form for use during global crises (PSAS-IR-RSF-C).

Background: Due to its high pervasiveness and adversarial consequences, postpartum anxiety has been one of the most worrying public health concerns in the last decade. According to previous research, the occurrence of mental disorders among women in the postpartum period upsurges significantly in the course of universal disasters. The Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale - Research Short Form - for use in global Crises [PSAS-IR-RSF-C] has not been used in Iran for postpartum women during a health system shock.

The antenatal psychological experiences of women during two phases of the COVID-19 pandemic: A recurrent, cross-sectional, thematic analysis.

Initial COVID-19-related social distancing restrictions, imposed in the UK in March 2020, and the subsequent lifting of restrictions in May 2020 caused antenatal disruption and stress which exceeded expected vulnerabilities associated with this lifecourse transition. The current study aimed to explore the antenatal psychological experiences of women during different phases of pandemic-related lockdown restrictions in the UK. Semi-structured interviews were held with 24 women about their antenatal experiences: twelve were interviewed after the initial lockdown restrictions (Timepoint 1; T1), and a separate twelve women were interviewed after the subsequent lifting of those restrictions (Timepoint 2; T2).

Exploring the reasons why mothers do not breastfeed, to inform and enable better support.

Introduction: Infant and maternal breastfeeding benefits are well documented, globally. Despite efforts to increase global breastfeeding rates, the majority of high-income settings fall short of recommended targets. Breastfeeding rates in the UK are especially poor, and physiological difficulties (e.

Psychometric evaluation and validation of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale for the Spanish-speaking population: PSAS-ES.

Objective: The transition to motherhood is a period of risk for the development of mood disorders. Postpartum anxiety has not been as thoroughly studied as other emotional disorders despite its impact on mothers and their babies. The absence of standardized programmes for early detection and specific tools for its diagnosis means postpartum anxiety is often underestimated or overshadowed.

The content, experiences and outcomes of interventions designed to increase early skin-to-skin contact in high-income settings: A mixed-methods systematic review.

Aim: To explore the content, experiences and outcomes of interventions designed to increase early skin-to-skin contact (SSC) in high-income settings.

Methods: A mixed-methods systematic review was undertaken across six bibliographic databases. References of all included studies were hand-searched.

A latent class analysis of health risk behaviours in the UK Police Service and their associations with mental health and job strain.

Background: Health risk behaviours (e.g., harmful drinking and smoking) often cluster together and can be associated with poor mental health and stress.

The Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale: Confirmatory factor analyses and relationships with birth experience.

The Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale [PSAS] was developed and validated as a research tool with a four-factor structure; with predictive validity corroborated in studies examining infant-feeding and maternal bonding outcomes. The PSAS has not been examined in relation to birth experiences. We aimed to confirm the PSAS four-factor structure and examine these domains of anxiety in relation to subjective and objective birth experiences.

Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration and Perceptions of Infant Sleep: The Mediating Role of Postpartum Anxiety.

(1) Background: Existing literature has identified associations between exclusive breastfeeding, maternal mental health, and infant sleep. This study aims to examine these relationships simultaneously and consider the mediating role of postpartum anxiety. (2) Methods: Participants completed validated measures of postpartum anxiety, infant sleep, and reported exclusive breastfeeding duration.