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Reproductive Mental Health—Individual and Family Aspects

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A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2022) | Viewed by 14101

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Eleonora Bielawska-Batorowicz

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Guest Editor

Institute of Psychology, University of Łódź, 90-136 Łódź, Poland
Interests: clinical and reproductive psychology; pre- and postnatal parental attachment; infertility; menopause; andropause

Dr. Karolina Kossakowska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Institute of Psychology, University of Łódź, 90-136 Łódź, Poland
Interests: reproductive psychology; paternal and maternal perinatal mental health; breastfeeding

Dr. Andrzej Śliwerski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Institute of Psychology, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland
Interests: clinical psychology; cognitive vulnerability to emotional disorders; depression; anxiety; mood changes in hormonal breakthroughs

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The reproductive period in the human life cycle is an extremely important stage. It covers most of a person’s life and is associated with many significant life changes. This period is usually related to joy and happiness; however, for some persons, it may be a source of existential and emotional crises or even serious mental health problems. The term reproductive mental health covers the broadly understood well-being of both women and men strictly related to their reproductive decisions and activity. It applies not only to factors influencing emotional disorders, but also to factors affecting individual well-being and family functioning.

For this Special Issue of Behavioral Sciences, we aim to present a collection of original articles and comprehensive reviews covering the psychological, physiological, and social conditions related to the mental health of women and men in this specific phase of life. Topics of interest to this Special Issue will relate to such areas as: changes in mood during periods of hormonal breakthroughs; prenatal and postpartum depression or anxiety in both men and women; emotions and cognitions related to reproductive failure; changes linked to menopause or andropause; protective factors that determine well-being throughout the reproductive phase of life; effects of mental health on human reproduction; scope and effects of psychological intervention.

Prof. Dr. Eleonora Bielawska-Batorowicz
Dr. Karolina Kossakowska
Dr. Andrzej Śliwerski
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

menstrual cycle
mood changes
normal and complicated pregnancy
labor and delivery
postpartum depression
perinatal anxiety
infertility
miscarriage
pregnancy termination

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

3 pages, 194 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Bio-Psycho-Social Approach to Reproductive Mental Health and Reproductive Decisions

by Eleonora Bielawska-Batorowicz

Behav. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 75; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13010075 - 16 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1604

Abstract

The reproductive period in the human life cycle covers a great part of a person’s existence and is associated with many significant life changes [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Mental Health—Individual and Family Aspects)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

12 pages, 616 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Maternal Psychopathological Profile during Childbirth and Neonatal Development during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pre-Posttest Study

by Sergio Martinez-Vazquez, Blanca Riquelme-Gallego, Leydi Jhoansy Lugo-Toro, Lidia Lucena-Prieto, Nathalia Garrido-Torres, Teresa Lopez-Soto, Rafael A. Caparros-Gonzalez and Alejandro De la Torre-Luque

Behav. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13020080 - 18 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1865

Abstract

The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 generated an alert that became a state of emergency in health issues worldwide, a situation that affected the entire population, including pregnant women. The present study aims to understand the effect of the psychopathological profile of a sample of pregnant women at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic on themselves during childbirth (Phase 1) and after childbirth and the anthropometric measures of the neonate at birth (Phase 2). The total sample comprises 81 pregnant women aged 32.07 years (SD = 5.45) and their neonates. Sociodemographic and obstetric data of the sample were collected. During pregnancy, psychopathology was measured by means of the SCL-90, as well as other psychological measures on stress and social support. Cluster k-means techniques were used to uncover the heterogeneous profiles of psychopathology in Phase 1. Two main psychopathological profiles were found (Cluster 1: High psychopathological symptoms; Cluster 2: Low psychopathological symptoms). The clusters generated show significant differences in all the SCL-90-R subscales used and in the general index at Phase 1. After childbirth, high psychopathology profile membership was associated with a greater probability of having a non-eutocic delivery. On the other hand, the low psychopathological symptoms cluster shows higher levels of depressive symptoms, hostility, paranoid ideation, and psychotic symptoms in Phase 2. In conclusion, there seemed to exist two heterogeneous profiles of psychopathology in pregnant women during the pandemic; the stress related to the pandemic seemed uninfluential on the development of a profile of high psychopathological symptoms and the psychopathology profile may influence delivery and postpartum outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Mental Health—Individual and Family Aspects)

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14 pages, 287 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reproductive Intentions Affected by Perceptions of Climate Change and Attitudes toward Death

by Eleonora Bielawska-Batorowicz, Klaudia Zagaj and Karolina Kossakowska

Behav. Sci. 2022, 12(10), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs12100374 - 30 Sep 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2126

Abstract

Adverse climate change poses a threat to the health of pregnant women and unborn children and has a negative impact on the quality of life. Additionally, individuals with a high awareness of the consequences of climate change may be accompanied by a fear of the inevitable end, such as a fear of death. This, in turn, may discourage planning for offspring. Thus, both the perception of climate change and fear of death can have implications for reproductive intentions. Only a few studies to date indicate that concerns about climate change, especially when combined with attitudes towards death, may influence the formation of attitudes and reproductive plans. Thus, current research is aimed at looking at reproductive intentions from the perspective of both climate change concerns and the fear of death. This study was conducted from December 2020 to February 2021. A total of 177 childless males and females (58.8%) took part in the study. The Death Anxiety and Fascination Scale (DAFS) and Climate Change Perception Questionnaire (CCPQ) were completed online. Overall, 63.8% of respondents displayed a positive reproductive intention. Multivariable logistic regression analysis found that, in addition to the young age of respondents, the likelihood of positive reproductive intentions increases with death anxiety and decreases with death fascination and with climate health concerns. The results indicate that both climate change concerns and the fear of death are relevant to reproductive plans—positive reproductive intentions increase with death anxiety and decrease with death fascination and with climate health concerns. The results fill the gap in the existing research on predictors of reproductive intentions and can be used for further scientific exploration and practical activities addressing the issues of the determinants of decisions about having children. The individual consequences of climate change are clearly taken into account in the context of offspring planning and, therefore, should be considered in the design of social and environmental actions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Mental Health—Individual and Family Aspects)

17 pages, 605 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experiencing Pregnancy during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Poland: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Mediating Effect of Resiliency on Prenatal Depression Symptoms

by Anna Studniczek and Karolina Kossakowska

Behav. Sci. 2022, 12(10), 371; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs12100371 - 29 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1713

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic in Poland brought uncertainty, not only to the general population but also to women preparing for childbirth, which increased the risk of mental health illnesses during this special period of life. Resilience, which refers to positive adaptation or the ability to maintain good mental health, can be a protective factor against the development of psychiatric problems such as depressive symptoms. This study aimed to assess the protective role of resilience in the relationship of such risk factors as traumatic childbirth perception and pandemic-related pregnancy stress with prenatal depressive symptoms. The study was performed at the end of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 80 pregnant women took part. A mediation analysis, an independent t-test, and a Pearson correlation analysis were conducted. The lower resilience group declared the inclusion of slightly more participants (n = 41; 51.2%); 39 women (48.8%) demonstrated a higher risk of prenatal depression. The analysis revealed a significant direct effect between pandemic-related stress and prenatal depression (βc = 0.285, SE = 0.05, t = 2.63, p < 0.05) as well as between pandemic-related stress and resilience (βa = −0.283, SE = 0.07, t = −2.61, p < 0.05) and between resilience and prenatal depression (βb = −0.585, SE = 0.07, t = −6.34, p < 0.001). After the introduction of resilience as a mediator, the strength of the relationship not only decreased, but also ceased to be statistically significant (βc′ = 0.120, SE = 0.04, t = 1.29, p = 0.19), which indicates that it was in a full mediation state (R² = 0.39, F = 25.31, p < 0.001; Z = 2.43, p < 0.05). The results indicate that in pregnant women, a high level of resilience protects them from the effects of pandemic-related stress on perinatal depression symptoms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Mental Health—Individual and Family Aspects)

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8 pages, 242 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Conception Preferences during COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns

by Soha Albeitawi, Zina Al-Alami, Khaldoun Khamaiseh, Lama Al Mehaisen, Almu’atasim Khamees and Jehan Hamadneh

Behav. Sci. 2022, 12(5), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs12050144 - 13 May 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2350

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 lockdowns imposed new challenges to couples who were planning to conceive. In this research paper, we aimed to study the perceptions of women in Jordan during the pandemic regarding fertility behavior, the desire to use assisted reproductive technology (ART) and the awareness and beliefs of potential risks related to conception. Methods: A validated online-based questionnaire was distributed to women from April–May 2020, Statistical analysis was performed using the statistical software SPSS version 22 and R software (2020); p values ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The total number of participants was 814 women, with 78.2% of the participants (58.7% fertile and 76.6% infertile) believing that pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic could be risky. Among them, 16% and 40%, respectively, were trying to conceive during the pandemic, and 97.4% and 89.9%, respectively, were not willing to use ART if needed during the pandemic. Young, nulliparous women who were married for less than one year were significantly associated with the desire to conceive during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: This study concluded that the fertility behavior of women in Jordan changed during the pandemic, and their desire for natural conception and for using ART declined, as they believed that there were potential risks related to conceiving during the pandemic. However, the effect was greater among the general fertile population than the infertile. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Mental Health—Individual and Family Aspects)

14 pages, 2422 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evidence of Anxiety, Depression and Learning Impairments following Prenatal Hypertension

by Kedra Wallace, Teylor Bowles, Ashley Griffin, Reanna Robinson, Lucia Solis, Teryn Railey, James P. Shaffery, Sarah Araji and Shauna-Kay Spencer

Behav. Sci. 2022, 12(2), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs12020053 - 18 Feb 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3422

Abstract

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, such as Preeclampsia (PreE) and HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme, low platelet) syndrome, affects approximately 5–10% of pregnancies and increases the risk of women developing disorders, such as anxiety or depression, in the postpartum period. Using preclinical rodent models, we set out to determine whether rats with a history of PreE or HELLP had evidence of anxiety, depression or cognitive impairment and whether immune suppression during pregnancy prevented these changes in mood and/or cognition. Methods: Timed-pregnant rats were infused with sFlt-1 and/or sEng to induce PreE or HELLP beginning on gestational day 12. After delivery, a battery of validated behavioral assays was used to assess post-partum depression, anxiety and learning. Results: There was no negative effect on maternal pup interaction due to PreE or HELLP; however, hypertensive dams spent more time immobile in the forced swim test (p < 0.0001). Hypertensive dams also spent less time in the open area of the open field (p = 0.001). There were no significant changes in recognition memory (p = 0.08); however, spatial learning was impaired in hypertensive dams (p = 0.003). Immobility time in the forced swim test was positively correlated with increased circulating S100B (p = 0.04), while increased time spent in the outer zones of the open field was negatively correlated with BDNF levels (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The results from this study suggest that hypertensive pregnancy disorders are associated with depression, anxiety and learning impairments in the post-partum period. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Mental Health—Individual and Family Aspects)

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