Cites research by Sarah McCue Horwitz (Yale University) and
colleagues from Yale and Johns Hopkins in 'Pediatrics,' which found women
who have complications during pregnancy are more likely than other moms
to suffer from postpartum depression. Why women with difficult
pregnancies suffer postpartum depression; Thoughts for
pediatricians.
By
PT Staff, published on September 01, 1993
MOTHER-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS
You're seven months pregnant when you suddenly go into labor and
deliver a preemie that looks more dead than alive. The nightmarish
experience fades away as soon as the baby begins to thrive,but chances
are you and your child will never be the same again.
Women who have complications during pregnancy are more likely than
other moms to suffer from postpartum depression. What's more, they feel
their child is more vulnerable to illness-a concern that may linger for
years and distort the mother-child relationship.
"These mothers are filled with a pathological dread that something
could still go wrong with their kids," says Yale psychologist Sarah McCue
Horwitz, Ph.D. As a result they may become overprotective or have trouble
separating themselves from their children--both of which can take a toll
on the kids' mental well-being.
Horwitz and colleagues from Yale and Johns Hopkins surveyed mothers
of 1095 children aged four to eight. They found that women who suffered
from severe pregnancy complications, including diabetes and premature
labor, were almost two and a half times more likely to report feeling
blue within the first three months after delivery.
The women were also almost two times more likely to admit feeling
that their children were likely to fall ill, and agreed with statements
like: "I often have to keep [my child] indoors because of health
reasons."
Women who had both problem pregnancies and postpartum depression
were almost three times more likely to view their child as prone to
illness or accidents, the researchers report in Pediatrics (Vol. 91, No.
3).
Why all the worry? Women who recover from a difficult delivery and
subsequent depression may unwittingly internalize the intense feelings of
concern they have for their child. If this concern resurfaces as, say,
cloying over protectiveness, kids may suffer from their own behavioral
problems, including aggression, excessive shyness, or depression during
childhood and adolescence. Even worse, they may begin to perceive
themselves differently, too.
Pediatricians should encourage moms to describe their pregnancy--as
well as any current anxieties they may have about pregnancy
complications--and then reassure them that "these things happen," advises
Horwitz. "That kind of thing can go a long way."
PHOTO: PREGNANCY PROBLEMS MAY PRODUCE WORRISOME MOMS.
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