Emotional inhibition mediates the relationship between maternal postpartum security and pregnancy distress in China: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: Pregnancy and childbirth bring not only joy but also a concomitant sense of insecurity, which may adversely affect health, role adaptation, and relationships. This study aimed to explore the risk factors for postpartum mothers' sense of security.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used questionnaires on Parents' Postnatal Sense of Security, Tilburg Pregnancy Distress Scale, and the Emotional Inhibition Scale. Structural equation modeling was used to calculate the mediating effect.

Results: The mean postnatal maternal security value was 44.77 ± 9.02. Multiple regression analyses revealed that several factors, including companionship of the partner during pregnancy, number of prenatal visits accompanied by the partner, complications during pregnancy, pregnancy distress, and emotional inhibition, independently predicted maternal security. Moreover, our structural equation model revealed that emotional inhibition significantly influenced maternal postpartum security directly (β = -0.30, P < 0.001). In addition, pregnancy distress affected maternal security directly (β = -0.45, P < 0.001) and indirectly (β = -0.129, P < 0.001) through emotional inhibition.

Conclusion: This study indicated a lower level of postpartum maternal sense of security. Emotional inhibition partially mediates the relationship between postpartum maternal sense of security and pregnancy distress. Therefore, health care professionals providing guidance to pregnant and postpartum women on proper emotional regulation and early identification of pregnancy distress may be more effective in enhancing their postpartum sense of security.