Descriptive Exploratory Study to Understand Postpartum Anxiety Using Multiple Measures.
Mary G Hoberg, Jill R Demirci, Susan M Sereika and 2 others
PMID 36356652WHAT IT FOUND
Adding the postpartum-specific anxiety scale to the depression scale detected 19 of 71 women with anxiety or depression at 8 weeks, versus 17 with the general anxiety scale.
Daily anxiety ratings declined at 2 weeks, leveled between 3 and 6 weeks, and rose again from 6 to 8 weeks.
Key findings
01At 8 weeks after birth, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale plus the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale detected 19 of 71 participants with anxiety or depression, while the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale plus the State Trait Anxiety Inventory detected 17 of 71, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale alone detected 7 of 71.
02State anxiety scores decreased significantly from 1 to 8 weeks after birth (p = 0.01), while postpartum-specific anxiety scores increased significantly from 1 to 8 weeks (p = 0.003).
03Daily anxiety ratings showed a significant curvilinear trend: they declined at 2 weeks after birth, leveled off between 3 and 6 weeks, and increased from 6 to 8 weeks.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was recruited by convenience, so people who chose to take part may have been more likely to have mental health concerns. Anxiety and depression were measured with self-report questionnaires, not clinical diagnostic interviews, so screen-positive rates may not equal true diagnoses. The sample was mostly white and highly educated, so results may not apply to more diverse postpartum populations. Follow-up ended at 8 weeks after birth, so the study cannot say whether anxiety continued to rise after that point. The general anxiety scale may include somatic items such as fatigue that can be common after childbirth, so its higher anxiety detection rate may not mean it identifies more true postpartum anxiety.
Declared interests
The authors reported no conflicts of interest or relevant financial relationships. The publication type lists NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale is superior to the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. The Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale detected fewer women than the State Trait Anxiety Inventory at 8 weeks (21.1% versus 23.9%), and no diagnostic interviews were used to confirm true anxiety.