Mother-child bond and its relationship with maternal postpartum depression

The mother-child bond may be related to maternal health, especially postpartum depression (PPD). Existing studies show the need for further in-depth research on the subject.

To determine the relationship between bonding and the probability of the development and presence of PPD in women with a biological child between 6 weeks and 18 months of age.

A cross-sectional study was conducted. A questionnaire containing sociodemographic, psychosocial, and health variables referring to the mother and the newborn, a questionnaire measuring the mother-child bond (VAMF-bond), and the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EDPS) were administered.

1114 women participated. The association between the items of the VAMF-bond subscale and the risk of PPD was statistically significant for all items (p < 0.05), except items 4 and 10. The multivariate analysis showed that the risk of PPD (EPDS scale) was lower in women with higher scores on bond (Adjusted Odds Ratio: aOR = 0.85; 95%CI: 0.81, 0.88), whose birth experience was good or very good (aOR = 0.57; 95%CI: 0.36, 0.89), who received high or very high support from their partner (aOR = 0.34; 95%CI: 0.18, 0.66), and family (aOR = 0.53; 95%CI: 0.32, 0.86). The presence of PPD was less frequent in women who presented higher scores for bond (aOR = 0.90; 95%CI: 0.84, 0.97), who had skin-to-skin contact (aOR = 0.39; 95%CI: 0.17, 0.93) and who received high or very high support from the family (aOR = 0.36; 95%CI: 0.12, 1.04).

High scores on the subscale VAMF-bond were associated with a lower risk of PPD.