Preventive Effects on Birth Outcomes: Buffering Impact of Maternal Stress, Depression, and Anxiety

Objective Although maternal stress, anxiety, and depression have been linked to negative birth outcomes, few studies have investigated preventive interventions targeting maternal mental health as a means of reducing such problems. This randomized controlled study examines whether Family Foundations...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Maternal and child health journal 2016-01, Vol.20 (1), p.56-65
Main Authors: Feinberg, Mark E., Jones, Damon E., Roettger, Michael E., Hostetler, Michelle L., Sakuma, Kari-Lyn, Paul, Ian M., Ehrenthal, Deborah B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anxiety
Anxiety - complications
Anxiety - prevention & control
Birth weight
Cost assessments
Depression - complications
Depression - prevention & control
Female
Gynecology
Health problems
Humans
Infant, Low Birth Weight - psychology
Infants
Intervention
Maternal and Child Health
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Mental depression
Mental disorders
Outcome Assessment, Health Care
Parturition - psychology
Pediatrics
Population Economics
Pregnancy
Prenatal Care - statistics & numerical data
Public Health
Sociology
Stress, Psychological - complications
Stress, Psychological - prevention & control
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Summary:Objective Although maternal stress, anxiety, and depression have been linked to negative birth outcomes, few studies have investigated preventive interventions targeting maternal mental health as a means of reducing such problems. This randomized controlled study examines whether Family Foundations (FF)—a transition to parenthood program for couples focused on promoting coparenting quality, with previously documented impact on maternal stress, depression, and anxiety—can buffer the negative effects of maternal mental health problems. Methods To assess the effects of FF, we used a randomized block design with a sample of 259 expectant mothers assigned to FF or a control condition and analyzed using propensity score models. We examine two-way interactions of condition (intervention vs. control) with maternal mental health problems (financial stress, depression, and anxiety) on birth outcomes (birth weight, days in hospital for mothers and infants). For birth weight, we assess whether intervention effects depend on length of gestation by including a third interaction term. Results FF buffered ( p  
ISSN:1092-7875
1573-6628
1573-6628
DOI:10.1007/s10995-015-1801-3