A comparison of the mother-infant relationship in mothers with and without gestational diabetes mellitus: An analysis of the growing up in Scotland cohort

Abstract

BackgroundThere is an increased risk of depressive symptoms in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Poor maternal mental health can impact the mother-infant relationship which can cause problems in the perinatal period. However there is little research which examines the mother-infant relationship in women with GDM. AimsTo test the hypotheses that (1) GDM is associated with a perceived difficult mother-infant relationship in the first year of an infant's life in a cohort of women recruited in pregnancy compared to mothers who do not have GDM and (2) poor maternal mental health mediates the relationship between GDM and the mother-infant relationship Study designA retrospective analysis of a Scottish cohort database using mediation analysis. SubjectsThe dataset included 5,289 women (n = 204 GDM, n = 5,085 no GDM). Outcome measuresThe Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale measured the mother-infant relationship. The SF-12 Mental Health Component Score measured maternal mental health. ResultsGDM does not predict maternal mental health (path a). Poor maternal mental health is significantly associated with a perceived difficult mother-infant relationship (path b). The direct effect of GDM on the mother-infant relationship (path c) was not statistically significant. The indirect effect of GDM on the mother-infant relationship via maternal mental health (mediator) was also not significant. ConclusionThis is the first robust study examining the impact of GDM on the mother-infant relationship. The study did not support the hypotheses, however the results are of theoretical value, especially in the context of limited research.