Depression and Anxiety Stress in Postpartum Mothers

The concept of maternity includes pregnancy, birth and puerperium, and implies biological, social, cultural and psychological changes. Thus, maternity is a psycho-biological phenomenon and a vital crisis that reactivates past problems and can enhance current ones. The mother lives this crisis according to her personal history, her present situation and her newborn's characteristics. The aim of this study was to know if maternal depression and anxiety are associated with sociodemographic variables such as: mother's age, partner's age, age and sex of the child, educational level, paternal and maternal employment status, number of children, pregnancy planning and social class. A non-experimental, descriptive-correlational study was conducted. The instruments used were: sociodemographic questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. The sample consisted of 134 mothers from general population, with children under 2 years old. A relation between maternal anxiety and depression was found. Significant differences were found between maternal depression and anxiety, and: baby's sex, mother's age, maternal and paternal employment status, social class, and pregnancy planning. The analysis of the results revealed that some events may generate situations of psychological risk during maternity, with repercussions in the establishment of a healthy bond with her child.