The prospective relationship between postpartum PTSD and child sleep: A 2-year follow-up study

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders 2018-12, Vol.241, p.71-79
• Main Authors: Garthus-Niegel, Susan, Horsch, Antje, Bickle Graz, Myriam, Martini, Julia, von Soest, Tilmann, Weidner, Kerstin, Eberhard-Gran, Malin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anxiety; BISQ; Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire; Child; Child Development; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Depression; Depression, Postpartum - psychology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gestational Age; Humans; Infant; Male; maternal mental health; Mothers - psychology; Norway - epidemiology; Postpartum Period - psychology; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Prospective Studies; Regression Analysis; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - etiology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.07.067

•Maternal anxiety and depression are associated with infant sleep problems.•Evidence regarding postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is lacking.•Postpartum PTSD symptoms were associated with child sleep variables at two years.•Early detection and treatment of postpartum PTSD may improve child sleep problems.•This may decrease the risk of infant developmental or behavioral problems. : The main aim of this study was to examine the prospective impact of maternal postpartum PTSD on several standardized child sleep variables two years postpartum in a large, population-based cohort of mothers. Moreover, we investigated the influence of numerous potential confounding maternal and child factors. Finally, we tested potential reverse temporal associations between child sleep eight weeks postpartum and maternal PTSD symptoms two years postpartum. : This study is part of the population-based Akershus Birth Cohort, a prospective cohort study at Akershus University Hospital, Norway. Data from the hospital's birth record, from questionnaires at 17 weeks gestation, eight weeks and two years postpartum were used. At two years postpartum, 39% of the original participants could be retained, resulting in a study population of n = 1480. All child sleep variables significantly correlated with postpartum PTSD symptoms were entered into multiple linear regression analyses, adjusting for confounding factors. : Postpartum PTSD symptoms were related to all child sleep variables, except daytime sleep duration. When all significant confounding factors were included into multivariate regression analyses, postpartum PTSD symptoms remained a significant predictor for number and duration of night wakings (β = 0.10 and β = 0.08, respectively), duration of settling time (β = 0.10), and maternal rating of their child's sleep problems (β = 0.12, all p