Mixed-Methods Assessment of Maternal Anxiety During the First 8 Weeks After Birth.
Mary G Hoberg, Jill R Demirci, Susan M Sereika and 2 others
PMID 38325800WHAT IT FOUND
Women with generalized anxiety more often reported feeling overwhelmed and under-supported and had positive depression screens; women with postpartum-specific anxiety more often reported infant and return-to-work worries and task-related support.
Key findings
01In the mixed-methods sample of 34 women, 52% had negative anxiety screens at 8 weeks after birth on the STAI-S or PSAS.
02Positive EPDS screens were present in 100% of participants with generalized anxiety alone and in 33% of participants with both anxiety types, while no participants with postpartum-specific anxiety alone had a positive EPDS screen.
03Participants with generalized anxiety often reported feeling overwhelmed and having little to absent support, while participants with postpartum-specific anxiety described fluctuating stress and mainly task-related support.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 34 women were included in the mixed-methods analysis, and most were White and highly educated, so the findings may not apply to more diverse postpartum patients. The study used questionnaire cut-offs, not diagnostic interviews, to categorize generalized and postpartum-specific anxiety. Some participants had histories of depression or anxiety, which could affect the patterns seen. Follow-up stopped at 8 weeks after birth, so the study does not show how anxiety experiences changed later. The study was descriptive and did not test an intervention, so it cannot show whether treatment helps.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflicts of interest or relevant financial relationships.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume a negative depression screen means a postpartum patient has no anxiety. Women with postpartum-specific anxiety alone had no positive EPDS screens, so depression screening can miss this type.