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The objective of this study was to compare the mental well-being of French women who were and were not pregnant during the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. We performed a nationwide online quantitative survey including all women between 18 and 45 years of age during the second and third weeks of global lockdown (March 25–April 07, 2020). The main outcome measures was the mental well-being measured by the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS). This study analysed 275 responses from pregnant women and compared them with those from a propensity score–matched sample of 825 non-pregnant women. The median WEMWBS score was 49.0 and did not differ by pregnancy status. Women living in urban areas reported better well-being, while those with sleep disorders or who spent more than an hour a day watching the news reported poorer well-being. During the first lockdown in France, women had relatively low mental well-being scores, with no significant difference between pregnant and non-pregnant women. More than ever, health-care workers need to find a way to maintain their support for women’s well-being. Minor daily annoyances of pregnancy, such as insomnia, should not be trivialised because they are a potential sign of poor well-being.

In this study, we investigated the physiological regulation of vagal tone during dyadic and triadic parent-infant interactions in infants born before or around the COVID-19 lockdown in Switzerland. We hypothesized that there would be a decrease in vagal tone in triadic interactions compared with dyadic interactions, as triadic interactions are more complex and therefore more resource demanding. However, we expected this difference to be smaller for infants who experienced the period of confinement, as the lockdown led parents to spend more time at home. We also hypothesized that parents would have less stressful interactional events in the triadic interaction because they would be used to interacting with the child together. This study included 36 parents with their 3 month-old infants. Eighteen families met the study authors before the onset of the pandemic (pre-COVID) and 18 met them after its onset, having experienced a period of confinement during the infants' first 3 months of life (COVID). Results showed that the COVID group had no decrease in vagal tone during triadic interactions, whereas the pre-COVID group did. This difference could not, however, be explained by less stressful interactional events in triadic interactions, as the COVID group showed more stressful interactional events in mother-father-infant interactions.

La naissance entraîne des bouleversements pouvant impacter la santé psychique de la mère et le processus d’attachement avec l’enfant. La prise en charge faite lors de la période post-partum peut grandement influencer ces issues. Une approche centrée sur les besoins particuliers des mères, et s’appuyant sur des entretiens psychoéducatifs pour mobiliser leurs ressources, a été menée à la maternité des HUG (Genève). Cette action a montré une augmentation du sentiment de compétence des mères. Cela vient s’intégrer dans un véritable plan périnatal fondé sur l’empowermentdes femmes.

The aim of the authors in this study was to evaluate the relationships between perceived perinatal stress and social support to psychological health outcomes in mothers. A longitudinal, quantitative study was conducted in Geneva, Switzerland on 235 primiparous mothers from September 2010 to January 2012. Data were collected between gestational weeks 37 and 41 (T1), 2 days post-delivery (T2), and at 6 weeks postpartum (T3). Perinatal stress was associated with depressive symptoms (R(2) = 0.223), anxiety (R(2) = 0.242), and a low sense of parental self-efficacy (R(2) = 0.21). However, satisfaction with social support moderated the relationship of stress to the health of mothers. In particular, the authors noted that the more women were provided with support from their partners, the less depressive symptoms and elevated levels of anxiety they reported, even under stressful conditions, while the satisfaction of support from their mothers boosted their sense of competency. Furthermore, satisfaction with emotional support from professionals tempered the stress during the post-partum period (∆R(2) = 0.032; p

Background Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as a glucose intolerance of variable severity occurring or diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy. Numerous epidemiological studies show that this disorder affects between 1 and 18% of pregnancies, depending on the ethnicity of the populations studied, the diagnostic criteria, or the body mass index (BMI). Its incidence is constantly rising worldwide. Patients with GDM have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the months after delivery. For this reason, GDM patients are encouraged to practice specific health behaviors (dietary habits, physical activity) during the postpartum period. It is important to identify the factors that may impact adherence to these behaviors. Methods/Design A targeted sample size of 200 eligible pregnant women with a diagnosis of GDM will be enrolled in this prospective, cohort study. They will be recruited from 30-36 weeks of gestation as part of their diabetes consultation in Geneva University Hospital (GUH) maternity unit. Psychosocial variables that could impact adherence to health behaviors in the postpartum period (behavioral intentions, risk perceptions, general knowledge about diabetes, health beliefs, social support, self-efficacy) will be evaluated using specific tools at the end of pregnancy, at 6 weeks postpartum and at 6 months postpartum. Multiple regression analyses will be performed on SPSS. Discussion For the first time in Europe, the objective of this research is to study in women with very recent GDM the link between dietary habits, physical activity levels, and psychosocial and cognitive factors possibly involved in the adoption of health behaviors in the postpartum period. These factors have been identified in the literature, but to date have never been combined in a single study. The study will allow a predictive theoretical model of health behavior to be established and used as a basis for reflection to optimize interventions carried out on women who have had GDM.

Objective : Adapting to the birth of a child can be stressful for new mothers. Caregivers (nurses and midwives) lack the tools to adequately assist with this adaptation. A perinatal psycho-educational interview was developed and systematically implemented on a daily basis for all mothers hospitalized postpartum in the maternity ward of our institution. Our first objective was to assess whether this psycho-educational interview was used systematically by care personnel, and whether it provided them with a greater sense of purpose in their professional role. Our second objective was to assess whether use of this interview decreased new mothers’ perceptions of stress and improved their perceived adaptations to motherhood. Methods : An assessment before (T1) and after (T2) implementation of the psycho-educational interview (intervention) was carried out with 60 caregivers and 250 mothers. Results : The results show 41% of mothers in this study received two or more interviews during their hospital stay. Caregivers’ job satisfaction was seen to increase ( t = -3.2; p < .05), and feelings of frustration towards their work decreased ( t = 2.65; p < .05). Mothers felt less stressed and less worried in T2 ( t = -2.4; p < .05). Conclusions : These encouraging results show an increase in the use of this treatment in the postpartum setting, with desirable effects. Further studies should be carried out to consolidate these preliminary results.

A pilot study was conducted to assess the merits and feasibility of a standardized postnatal psycho-educational interview on mothers' mental wellbeing, self-efficacy, and mother-child and couple relationships. A comparison of prenatal psycho-educational interview (n = 23) vs. pre- and post-natal psycho-educational interviews (n = 26) was carried out. Parental self-efficacy and the mother-child relationship were significantly improved for the group who received a post-natal interview at 2 and 3 months postpartum in addition to a prenatal interview. Pre- and post-natal interviews improve the construction of parenthood.

Le present article interroge, a l’aide d’entretiens semi-directifs et comprehensifs (N=30) les changements de vie lies a la naissance d’un premier enfant, chez des meres primipares a six semaines post partum. La naissance d’un enfant necessite des ajustements emotionnels, comportementaux et cognitifs de la part des meres. Nous posons l’hypothese qu’une difficulte d’adaptation dans ces differents champs peut entrainer une baisse du sentiment de competence et une deterioration de la sante emotionnelle de la mere et des relations mere-enfant. Cette recherche analyse les representations des meres, precise les dimensions stressantes de la maternalite, et decline les strategies de coping mises en place par les meres. Secondairement, cet article interroge l’impact du reseau social des meres dans l’attenuation des effets du stress, et plus particulierement la part prise par les sages-femmes lors de leurs interventions. La recherche montre que tous les evenements qualifies de stressants n’ont pas les memes repercussions sur le sentiment de competence. Ce sont les evenements lies a l’allaitement et aux pleurs du bebe qui semblent avoir le plus d’impact. De meme, nous relevons que le soutien social professionnel peut avoir une forte influence sur le sentiment de competence des meres. Il semble egalement indispensable de tenir compte des differents types de soutien et de la valeur donnee a la personne responsable de ce soutien. La recherche montre les liens complexes qui existent entre stress, soutien social et strategies de coping et debouche sur un modele transactionnel complexe.

Resume Introduction Les changements de vie lies a la naissance d’un premier enfant et le stress induit par ces evenements necessitent des ajustements emotionnels, comportementaux et cognitifs importants de la part des meres. Le contexte social de la naissance a evolue. Les familles sont de plus en plus dispersees. Par ailleurs les sejours hospitaliers post-partum se sont considerablement raccourcis. Objectifs Cette etude a recense les evenements stressants que les meres percoivent lors de la periode postnatale. Elle a egalement explore le soutien social recu et percu par les meres et les strategies de coping que les femmes utilisent pour faire face aux evenements stressants. Methode Cette recherche est de type qualitatif exploratoire. Des entretiens semi-directifs ont ete conduits six semaines apres l’accouchement, aupres de 60 meres primipares ayant accouche a terme. Resultats On constate que les evenements cites par les meres concernent principalement l’enfant et que ce qui concerne la mere est mis en general au second plan, voire banalise, et cela dans toute la periode etudiee, c’est-a-dire, jusqu’a six semaines du post-partum. Au cours du post-partum precoce (quatre jours apres l’accouchement) les femmes apprecient le soutien emotionnel et d’estime. Dans le post-partum a domicile, le soutien materiel est percu comme tres important par la femme. L’allaitement maternel est un evenement majeur dans le post-partum. On releve que les femmes vivent une desillusion devant la realite de l’allaitement. Les notions d’education delivrees en prenatal sont peu utilisees dans le post-partum. Les femmes relevent la necessite d’etre accompagnees et guidees au moment ou les problemes se posent. Elles deplorent le manque de structure post-partum a long terme. Conclusion Les resultats convergent vers la necessite de reconsiderer la prise en charge des femmes, en post-partum. En effet, cette etude montre l’ecart qui existe entre les contraintes auxquelles les femmes doivent faire face dans le post-partum, leurs besoins et le manque de structures adequates a leur disposition.

The aim of this study was to develop a satisfaction scale for social support and to investigate the relation of satisfaction with social support to the psychological health of primiparous mothers in terms of depressive symptoms, anxiety, and parental self-efficacy. We carried out a quantitative study during the last month of pregnancy (T1) and 6 weeks after birth (T2) including 235 mothers who were expecting their first child in Geneva (Switzerland) from September 2010 to April 2012. The satisfaction scale for social support revealed five sources of support (from the spouse, young woman's mother, family, friends, professionals), each associated with different types of support (i.e., emotional, esteem, material, and informative). This scale showed good internal consistency for each factor. Moreover, the results revealed a relationship between satisfaction with social support and the mental health of mothers, in particular in the postnatal period for depressive symptoms, anxiety, and self-efficacy. This study highlights the important role of social support and the scale specifically developed during this period is a useful tool to investigate this aspect.

Objective To develop a Postnatal Perceived Stress Inventory (PNPSI) and assess its psychometric properties. Design Cross-sectional quantitative study. Setting One nurse-managed labor and delivery unit in a university hospital in a major metropolitan area. Participants One hundred seventy-nine (179) primiparous French speaking women who gave birth at term. Methods The PNPSI was validated at 6 weeks postpartum. Its predictive validity for depression and anxiety was assessed at the same time. Results The exploratory analysis revealed a 19-item structure divided into six factors. This inventory has good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .815). The predictive validity shows that the PNPSI significantly predicts depression and anxiety at 6 weeks postpartum, and that certain factors are particularly prominent. Conclusion The PNPSI's psychometric properties make it a useful tool for future research to evaluate interventions for perceived stress during the postnatal period. Its predictive power for depression indicates that it is also a promising tool for clinical settings.

This article presents the Antenatal Perceived Stress Inventory. The originality of this scale is to assess the impact of events experienced during pregnancy on the stress perceived by mothers. Scale validation was performed using data from 150 French-speaking nulliparous mothers and collected between 36 and 39 weeks of gestation (T1), and between 2 days (T2) and 6 weeks postpartum (T3). Factor analysis revealed a hierarchical three-factor structure that closely fit the data, including medical and obstetric risks/fetal health (F1), psychosocial changes (F2), and the prospect of childbirth (F3). The Antenatal Perceived Stress Inventory is a valid French prenatal stress scale with good psychometric properties.

International audience; The objective of this work was to review published articles on the impact of perinatal stress on mothers' medium- or long-term psychological health and the efficacy of coping strategies, to determine if social support plays a role in the interaction between birth events and mothers' psychological experiences, and to identify the tools used for these measurements. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases were searched for English and French language articles from 2000 through 2010 inclusive. Thirty-seven articles fulfilled the selection criteria. The results of this review highlight an association between perceived stress and postpartum depressive symptoms. However, because perceived stress has been evaluated in a general manner, it was not possible to identify events having more or less relation to postpartum depressive symptoms in mothers. Social support also appeared to be related to mothers' psychological health. Coping strategies were difficult to analyze because of the lack of homogeneity in their definition across studies. The comparison among studies of social support and coping strategies was also difficult due to the diversity of tools used and their lack of specificity. New tools should be specifically developed for the perinatal period, and further research should be performed to understand better the events and adequacy of social support.

International audience; This article presents the post-delivery perceived stress inventory (PDPSI) and its psychometric properties. This inventory is unique in that it links the measurement of perceived stress to events experienced during and after delivery. A total of 235 French-speaking, primiparous mothers completed the PDPSI two days after their delivery. To evaluate the predictive validity of the PDPSI on anxiety and depression, participants also completed the EPDS and the STAI two days and six weeks postpartum. The exploratory analysis revealed a 16-item structure divided into five factors: F1: relationship with the child; F2: delivery; F3: fatigue after delivery; F4: breastfeeding; and F5: relationship with the caregivers. The PDPSI demonstrated good internal consistency. Moreover, confirmatory factor analysis produced excellent indices, indicating that the complexity of the PDPSI was taken into account and its fit to the sample. The discriminant analysis showed that the PDPSI was not sensitive to specific changes in the sample making the inventory generalizable to other populations. Predictive validity showed that the scale significantly predicted depression and anxiety in the early postpartum period as well as anxiety six weeks postpartum. Overall, the PDPSI showed excellent psychometric qualities, making it a useful tool for future research-evaluating interventions related to perceived stress during the postpartum period.

Following comprehensive and semistructured interviews, (N = 30) this article questions the life changes arising in mothers six weeks after the birth of the first child. The birth of a child reflects emotional, behavioral and cognitive changes, requiring consideration and adjustments bythe mothers. We believe there are a number of factors that could impact the perceived self-efficacy and the emotional health of the mothers, and the relationship between mother and child. The research indicates areas of stress encountered by mothers and the strategies put in place by mothers to cope and overcome the stress problem. This article also questions the action taken to reduce stress by the medical team and in particularly the midwife during the birth process. The results show that all stressful events have not the same impacts on the perceived self-efficacy. Breast feeding and the crying of the babies appear to have the most impact. We believe, professional social support has a strong influence on the mothers perceived self-efficacy. As well, it is important to consider the value given to people in charge of support. Thus, the research indicates the complex link between stress, social support and coping strategies and leads to a complex transactional pattern.

At the crossroads of medical, cultural and psychological fields, breastfeeding can often provoke intense reactions. In the course of my profession as a midwife, I have observed difficulties in the encounters between patients and midwives. In the context of social representations, I wished to explore and compare the representations of breastfeeding of both patients and midwives, which will test the hypothesis that the incongruity in patient/midwife relationships derives from a difference in their respective representations of breastfeeding. In order to demonstrate this, I conducted partially structured interviews with five hospitalized patients three days post natal, and five midwives from the Geneva maternity ward. The qualitative thematic analysis of the discussions has shown large differences in comprehension between the patients and the midwives, notably in the subject of experience, the influence of contextual factors, emotions, and normative ideas. We can concur that, from the beginning, this hypothesis has in large part been validated. Propositions were formulated, and are the road to improvement. Even after childbirth, breastfeeding, apart from nourishing a child, not only serves as a catalyst for emotions, but also for tensions, conflicts, as well as cultural paradoxes, both domestic and cognitive.

Aim To describe the most significant findings of the studies that examined the prevalence and determinants of postpartum health behaviours (physical activity, dietary habits and/or weight loss) in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Background Patients with gestational diabetes have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the months after delivery. For this reason, GDM patients are encouraged to practice specific health behaviours during the postpartum period. It is important to identify the factors that may impact the adherence to these behaviours. Evaluation Eighteen published research articles that examined postpartum health behaviours and/or their potential determinants in women diagnosed with GDM were selected from electronic databases. Key issues Physical activity and diet rarely meet the recommendations. Risk perception, health beliefs, social support and self-efficacy are the main factors identified as having an impact on the adoption of health behaviours. However, the cross-sectional nature of the studies and the lack of social, geographical and/or ethnic variety in the populations studied do not allow us to generalize the conclusions. Implications for nursing management This literature review reports all the information currently available that can enable nurses and midwives to engage in the evaluation and optimization of their interventions in GDM patients. Motivational interventions based on Social Cognitive Theory are proposed.