Repetitive Negative Thinking is Associated With Depression and Feeding Status at 3 and 6 Months Postpartum:...

To investigate the association between repetitive negative thinking and depression as well as feeding status at 3 and 6 months postpartum.

One hundred and twenty-eight pregnant women recruited by the hospital from January 2020 to June 2022 were selected for the study. General demographic data of pregnant women, the multiple Persistent Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 3 and 6 months postpartum, and breastfeeding status were collected. According to PTQ scores, the pregnant women were divided into high subgroup (scores ≥30) and low subgroup (scores <30). Intergroup comparisons of continuous variables following a normal distribution were performed using the t-test, while categorical data were analyzed using the χ² test. Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between PTQ, EPDS, and breastfeeding status.

EPDS scores were higher in the high group than in the low group at 3 and 6 months postpartum (p < 0.001). The breastfeeding rates in the high group were lower than that in the low group at 3 and 6 months postpartum (p < 0.001). Higher PTQ scores were associated with postpartum depression at 3 and 6 months (r = 0.379, p < 0.001; r = 0.358, p < 0.001) and lower breastfeeding rates (r = -0.346, p < 0.001; r = -0.353, p < 0.001).

Higher PTQ scores are associated with increased postpartum depression and reduced breastfeeding rates at 3 and 6 months postpartum, suggesting that repetitive negative thinking may be related to postpartum mental health and feeding outcomes.