Natalène Séjourné

Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore the impact of paternity leave and paternal involvement and notably paternal participation in infant care on the development of symptoms of maternal postpartum depression. Method: At 2–5 days postpartum, a sample of 119 couples completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), assessing postpartum depression. Mothers also completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). At 2 months postpartum, 4 questionnaires were completed: the EPDS, the MSPSS, the Maternal Attitude Questionnaire (MAQ), measuring cognitions relating to role change and expectations of motherhood, as well as a questionnaire assessing paternal involvement in infant care. Fathers also completed the EPDS and a questionnaire assessing paternal involvement in infant care. Results: Paternity leave was not highlighted as a significant protective factor against postpartum depression. However, the lack of paternal involvement in infant care was significantly associated with maternal depression intensity. Discussion: Our findings highlight the importance of encouraging and taking into account paternal involvement in infant care as early as possible.

Objective: Abortion can be a difficult event to cope with and can lead to the development of psychological disturbance. The aim of this prospective and longitudinal study was to assess and to predict Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms following abortion. Moreover, this study aimed to assess whether the type of abortion had an impact on women’s experience. Method: Eighty-six women were approached a few hours after the abortion and then 6 weeks later. Several questionnaires were completed: the Impact of Event Scale Revised (IES-R), the Multidimensional Scale of Social Support (MSPSS), the Peritraumatic Dissociative Experience Questionnaire (PDEQ), the Peritraumatic Emotions List (PEL), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Perinatal Grief Scale (PGS) and the Texas Grief Inventory (TGI). Results: Six weeks after the abortion, 38% of women reported a potential PTSD and a significant decrease of the anxious symptomatology was also highlighted. Peritraumatic dissociation and peritraumatic emotions were the main predictors of the intensity of post-abortum PTSD symptoms. Compared to surgical abortion, medical abortion was associated with increasing the risk of developing a possible PTSD. Conclusion: By providing evidence on some of the main risk factors, this study highlights the need for psychological support for women and strategies of prevention to be developed.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the hypothesis of an intergenerational transmission of postpartum depression. Mother’s postpartum depressive symptomatology was linked to former depression, postpartum depression of her mother as well as the quality of the mother–daughter relationship. Method: A sample of 65 women and their mothers completed questionnaires one month after delivery: the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), dimension A of the International Mini Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) assessing a former depressive episode, the Mother and Adult Daughter Questionnaire (MAD) as well as the Inventory of Peer and Relative Attachment (IPPA). Their mothers completed the Bromley Postnatal Depression Scale (BPDS) in order to retrospectively diagnose a postpartum depression. Results: Women whose mother had suffered from a postnatal depression had significantly higher scores on the EPDS. Former depression symptoms and grandmother’s former postnatal depression were significant predictors of postpartum depression symptoms intensity. Conclusion: this study confirms the hypothesis of an intergenerational transmission of postpartum depression and highlights the need to provide an in‐depth examination of these issues.