School of Psychology, University of Minho, Portugal.
J Affect Disord. 2011 Jul;132(1-2):146-57. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2011.02.007. Epub 2011 Mar 21.
This study aimed to investigate both anxiety and depression symptoms from early pregnancy to 3-months postpartum, comparing women and men and first and second-time parents.
A sample of 260 Portuguese couples (N=520), first or second-time parents, recruited in an Obstetrics Out-patients Unit, filled in the State-Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) and the Edinburgh Post-Natal Depression Scale (EPDS) at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd pregnancy trimesters, childbirth, and 3-months postpartum.
A decrease in anxiety and depression symptoms from early pregnancy to 3-months postpartum was found in both women and men, as well as in first and second-time parents. Men presented less anxiety and depression symptoms than women, but the same pattern of symptoms over time. Second-time parents showed more anxiety and depression symptoms than first-time parents and a different pattern of symptoms over time: an increase in anxiety and depression symptoms from the 3rd trimester to childbirth was observed in first-time parents versus a decrease in second-time parents.
The voluntary nature of the participation may have lead to a selection bias; women and men who agreed to participate could be those who presented fewer anxiety and depression symptoms. Moreover, the use of self-report symptom measures does not give us the level of possible disorder in participants.
Anxiety and depression symptoms diminish from pregnancy to the postpartum period in all parents. Patterns of anxiety and depression symptoms from early pregnancy to 3-months postpartum are similar in women and men, but somewhat different in first and second-time parents. Second-time parents should also be considered while studying and intervening during pregnancy and the postpartum.
本研究旨在比较女性和男性、初产妇和经产妇，从孕早期到产后 3 个月，调查焦虑和抑郁症状。
一项 260 对葡萄牙夫妇（N=520）的样本，包括初产妇和经产妇，在妇产科门诊招募，在第 1、2 和 3 个妊娠 trimester、分娩和产后 3 个月时填写状态焦虑量表（STAI-S）和爱丁堡产后抑郁量表（EPDS）。
女性和男性以及初产妇和经产妇的焦虑和抑郁症状均从孕早期到产后 3 个月下降。男性的焦虑和抑郁症状少于女性，但随着时间的推移呈现出相同的症状模式。与初产妇相比，经产妇表现出更多的焦虑和抑郁症状，且随着时间的推移呈现出不同的症状模式：初产妇的焦虑和抑郁症状从第 3 个 trimester 到分娩时增加，而经产妇则减少。
参与的自愿性质可能导致选择偏倚；同意参与的女性和男性可能是那些表现出较少焦虑和抑郁症状的人。此外，使用自我报告的症状测量并不能反映参与者中可能存在的障碍水平。
所有父母的焦虑和抑郁症状从怀孕到产后期间都有所减轻。从孕早期到产后 3 个月，女性和男性的焦虑和抑郁症状模式相似，但初产妇和经产妇的模式略有不同。在研究和干预怀孕和产后期间，也应考虑经产妇。
