Background: One percent of women experience bipolar disorder and are likely to suffer from mood disorders during the postpartum period, potentially impacting interaction with their infants. The purpose of this study was to describe maternal-infant interactions in women with bipolar depression at 12 months postpartum and to compare interactions to women with unipolar depression and a control group.
Methods: Using a descriptive design, maternal-infant interactions in women with bipolar disorder (n=40) were videotaped, coded, and analyzed for maternal sensitivity and maternal-infant reciprocity and compared to maternal-infant interaction in women with unipolar depression (n=50) and women without depression (n=40).
Results: Women with bipolar depression had lower scores on both maternal sensitivity and infant reciprocity, but differences were nonsignificant.
Conclusions: This research is the first study to examine maternal-infant interaction in women with bipolar disorder, and important trends were noted. Future research should examine maternal-infant interaction at earlier time periods.
Background: The implementation of early essential newborn care (EENC) is important to maternal and neonatal health. However, few studies have conducted a complete procedure of EENC in cesarean section. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of EENC during and after cesarean section.
Identifying and addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) during pre-conception is crucial for reducing disparities in maternal health, especially among disadvantaged groups, as factors like income and education impact pregnancy outcomes.
A study analyzed data from 1,512 pregnant women to classify them into groups based on socio-economic characteristics, revealing two distinct clusters with varying educational levels, employment status, and nutritional habits.
The findings showed that women in the lower socio-economic cluster experienced more negative neonatal outcomes, indicating a need for targeted public health interventions to improve maternal-infant health in these populations.
Mother-infant relationship development is influenced by maternal presence, proximity, and the frequency and duration of engagement. Proximity and dyadic engagement can be challenging when an infant is hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This study examined patterns of maternal proximity and engagement in a NICU in the Southwestern United States and identified thematic categories of alternate activities to engagement.
The microbiota, intensely intertwined with mammalian physiology, significantly impacts health, productivity, and reproductive functions. The normal microbiota interacts with the host through the following key mechanisms: acting as a protective barrier against pathogens, maintain mucosal barrier integrity, assisting in nutrient metabolism, and modulating of the immune response. Therefore, supporting growth and development of host, and providing protection against pathogens and toxic substances.
Background: Environmental exposures to chemical toxicants during gestation and infancy can dysregulate multiple developmental processes, causing lifelong effects. There is compelling evidence of PFAS-associated immunotoxicity in adults and children. However, the effect of developmental PFAS exposure on infant T-cell immunity is unreported, and, if present, could be implicated in immune-related health outcomes.
