Partner relationship, social support and perinatal distress among pregnant Icelandic women.

• Published in: Women and Birth
• Main Authors: Jonsdottir, Sigridur Sia, Thome, Marga, Steingrimsdottir, Thora, Lydsdottir, Linda Bara, Sigurdsson, Jon Fridrik, Olafsdottir, Halldora, Swahnberg, Katarina
• Other Authors: Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar/Växjö, Sweden; School of Health Sciences, University of Akureyri, Iceland. Electronic address: [e-mail]. 2 School of Health Science, Faculty of Nursing, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland. 3 Women's Clinic, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland; School of Health Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland. 4 School of Health Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland. 5 School of Health Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland; Division of Mental Health, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland; School of Business, Department of Psychology, Reykjavik University, Reykjavik, Iceland. 6 Division of Mental Health, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland. 7 Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar/Växjö, Sweden.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2017
• Subjects: Meðganga; Fæðingarþunglyndi; Þunglyndi; Fæðing; Makar; Samskipti; OAG12; MIW12; PSY12; PSC12; Adult; Anxiety; Depression; Female; Humans; Iceland; Interpersonal Relations; Interviews as Topic; Mood Disorders; Mothers; Personal Satisfaction; Pregnancy; Pregnant Women; Prenatal Diagnosis; Prospective Studies; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Risk Factors; Sexual Partners; Social Support; Spouses; Stress; Psychological; Akureyri
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2336/620203; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2016.08.005

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink below It is inferred that perinatal distress has adverse effects on the prospective mother and the health of the foetus/infant. More knowledge is needed to identify which symptoms of perinatal distress should be assessed during pregnancy and to shed light on the impact of women's satisfaction with their partner relationship on perinatal distress. The current study aimed to generate knowledge about the association of the partner relationship and social support when women are dealing with perinatal distress expressed by symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. A structured interview was conducted with 562 Icelandic women who were screened three times during pregnancy with the Edinburgh Depression Scale and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale. Of these, 360 had symptoms of distress and 202 belonged to a non-distress group. The women answered the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. The study had a multicentre prospective design allowing for exploration of association with perinatal distress. Women who were dissatisfied in their partner relationship were four times more likely to experience perinatal distress. Women with perinatal distress scored highest on the DASS Stress Subscale and the second highest scores were found on the Anxiety Subscale. Satisfaction in partner relationship is related to perinatal distress and needs to be assessed when health care professionals take care of distressed pregnant women, her partner and her family. Assessment of stress and anxiety should be included in the evaluation of perinatal distress, along with symptoms of depression. Primary Health Care of Reykjavik, Iceland The Primary Health Care of Akureyri, Iceland The National University Hospital of Iceland