Postpartum Women Research Articles

Improving perinatal engagement in HIV care is critical to prevent disease progression and transmission. In Haiti and other low-resource settings, poverty contributes substantially to poor perinatal HIV outcomes. Cash transfers are a promising intervention that may alleviate poverty and improve perinatal HIV outcomes through economic and psychological pathways. To inform the design of an unconditional cash transfer intervention, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 pregnant and postpartum women with HIV receiving care at St. Boniface Hospital in rural Haiti 12/2023-5/2024. Using an interview guide with open-ended questions, we explored barriers and facilitators to HIV care around the time of birth and perspectives on and preferred features of a potential unconditional cash transfer. Interviews were conducted in Haitian Creole, transcribed and translated into English, and analyzed thematically using a codebook developed through deductive and inductive coding. Participants (median age 24 years; 50% pregnant) described barriers including antiretroviral therapy side effects, particularly when taken without food, interpersonal stigma, poverty, and food insecurity. Facilitators included motivation to protect the child's health, understanding treatment benefits, transportation reimbursement, and social support. Participants viewed cash transfers as a promising way to address poverty-related barriers, reporting they would use funds for household needs, child expenses, and small business activities. Preferred transfer sizes varied, as did preferences about delivery, timing, and frequency. Findings underscore poverty's central role in shaping perinatal HIV care engagement and support the potential of unconditional cash transfers to improve outcomes.

Background: The puerperium or postpartum period is a difficult period for women to restart or maintain physical activity. The postpartum exercise changes the quality of life, physical activity, health, functional capacity, and physical fitness of postpartum women. This study is aimed at analyzing the adherence and practice of PNE. Objective: To evaluate the adherence & practice of Post Natal Exercise (PNE). To analyze the effect of postpartum exercise on maternal health. Methods: A hospital based physical interventional study conducted on 44 postnatal women who admitted for delivery. Data were obtained by interviews with patients and from hospital records. Results: A total of 44 postnatal women were enrolled in the study. Regarding the attitude of PNE, 98.2% of the study population felt that it is essential, regular adherence is needed and they will emphasize others. On analysis of practice of PNE 68.18% responded. Among them 47.73% did exercise and 20.45% did not perform. Within the practiced group 70% performed daily and 30% performed occasionally, 93.3% experienced benefits regarding physical activity. Conclusion: Education and motivation are important for practice of PNE. Also, obstetricians or health workers may influence continuously for adherence & practice. J Shaheed Suhrawardy Med Coll 2024; 16(1): 19-21

Background Weight stigma involves prejudiced attitudes directed towards larger-bodied people. Preconception, pregnant, and postpartum (PPP) women are particularly vulnerable to weight stigma due to societal expectations and prescriptive norms around women's bodies, along with body weight changes during these periods. However, there is limited understanding of the prevailing societal discourse and constructions driving this phenomenon. Therefore, we aimed to explore community members' perspectives to identify constructions of weight stigma towards PPP women living in larger bodies. Methods We conducted a qualitative story completion study. Adult community members residing in Australia were invited to complete three story stems. Each story stem featured a larger-bodied preconception, pregnant, or postpartum protagonist and their interaction with their friends, colleagues, or family. The participants were instructed to complete the story by writing the story about what they think, believe, and do, focusing on the treatment experienced by larger-bodied women. The data were analysed using inductive reflexive thematic analysis, informed by social constructionism. Results Eighteen participants took part and completed 48 stories (mean word count = 272 words, range 94−708). Three overarching constructions were identified: (1) prevailing assumptions about weight stigma in PPP periods; (2) disguising fatphobia pertaining to PPP women as concern for the mother's and child's health; and (3) healthism pertaining to PPP women living in larger bodies. Conclusions Our study highlights predominant norms and assumptions that drive weight stigma toward PPP women. These insights can inform future research, policy, and health promotion initiatives to identify targeted strategies to address these constructions. Ultimately, such efforts may contribute to creating a society that embraces body diversity and challenges weight stigma, positively impacting the health of PPP women and their children.

Maternal mortality is three times higher in Black women compared to non-Hispanic white women. The postpartum period, the time with the least amount of health surveillance, accounts for 65% of maternal deaths. Altered maternal heart rate variability (HRV) may reflect early postpartum cardiovascular complications. Home HRV monitoring could facilitate early detection of postpartum complications and reduce disparities in maternal deaths. To determine the feasibility of a new method for remotely monitoring HRV in postpartum women. A secondary aim was to explore whether HRV metrics differed between postpartum women with cardiovascular morbidities and those recovering from uncomplicated pregnancies. Twenty Black postpartum women were instructed to record heart rhythms at home using a wearable sensor for 10 minutes, twice daily, over 4 weeks. Waveforms were uploaded to a cloud server; data were processed to measure HRV metrics (e.g., standard deviation normal sinus beats [SDNN], root mean square of successive differences [RMSSD]), low-frequency (LF, 0.04-0.15 Hz), high-frequency (HF, 0.15-0.4 Hz) oscillations [continuous wavelet transform, 10 sec segments]). To determine whether HRV profiles differ according to risk factors, we compared women who had vaginal births without complications ( n = 7) to women with elevated risk factors, such as cesarean birth (n = 7) or preexisting cardiovascular conditions ( n = 6). Data were averaged across 4 weeks and reported as mean ± SD. Data were available from 17 participants—one withdrew and two could not obtain internet access. No serious postpartum complications occurred. Women delivering vaginally (no history of cardiovascular disease) had a mean heart rate of 82.2 ± 6.3 bpm ( n = 6), and did not differ significantly ( p = 0.23) from the elevated risk group (87.2 ± 8.9 bpm, n = 13). Groups had statistically similar mean values for R-R intervals (183.6 ± 176.6 versus 263.5 ± 201.4 ms), SDNN (392.1 ± 322.1 versus 512.2 ± 327.5 ms), and RMSSD (0.29 ± 0.64 versus 0.49 ± 0.96 ms). Frequency band powers were similar (LF band [0.04 ± 0.05 versus 0.05 ± 0.06 ms2]; HF band [0.04 ± 0.05 versus 0.06 ± 0.07 ms2]), indicating that there was likely no abnormal autonomic modulation of the heart in this sample. Most participants (85%) completed monitoring, demonstrating the feasibility of our method. Large prospective studies are needed to develop HRV algorithms that could alert postpartum women to seek urgent care for impending complications.

Introduction: Impaired nitric oxide-mediated coronary endothelial function (CEF) is a predictor of future cardiovascular (CV) events and may be impaired in women with preeclampsia (PEC). However, the contributing factors to impaired CEF—such as perceived stress, which is common in women with PEC—are not well understood. This study aimed to compare CEF in postpartum women with and without a history of PEC and to test the hypothesis that higher levels of perceived stress may associate with impaired CEF in women with a history of PEC. Methods: Postpartum women with and without a history of PEC were prospectively enrolled. Cardiac MRI was used to measure nitric oxide-mediated CEF as the change in cross-sectional coronary area, coronary flow, and coronary velocity in response to isometric handgrip exercise using previously validated methods. Perceived external stress was assessed on the day of the imaging visit using the validated Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Between-group comparisons were assessed using the Chi-Square test or Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables and the Mann-Whitney U test or t-test for continuous variables. The association of CEF and PSS in women with PEC was assessed using Spearman’s correlation coefficient and adjusted linear regression. Results: Of 85 postpartum women, 42 had a recent history of PEC and 43 did not. Median age was 32 (IQR 30-36) and median time postpartum was 22 (IQR 16-29) weeks. In the PEC group, women had higher BMI but lower rates of type 2 diabetes, and were otherwise age and race matched with controls. Women with PEC had impaired CEF as reflected by lower exercise-induced changes in coronary area and coronary flow (Figures 1A and 1B). PEC remained a significant predictor of impaired CEF after adjusting for diabetes and BMI. In women with a history of PEC, higher PSS scores were associated with lower exercise-induced changes in coronary area (Fig 2A) and velocity (Fig 2C). Higher PSS remained a significant predictor of a lower change in coronary area (β=-0.53, p=0.045) but not coronary velocity after adjusting for age and race. Conclusion: Women with PEC showed impaired nitric oxide-mediated CEF in the postpartum period, which is associated with increased CV risk. Higher perceived stress may associate with impaired CEF in women with PEC. These findings help understand the physiology behind increased CV risk in postpartum women with PEC and may suggest new risk stratification and reduction strategies.

Exercise during pregnancy and postpartum is of significant importance for maternal and infant health. To further standardize the clinical practice of exercise for pregnant and postpartum women in China, the Chinese Society of Perinatal Medicine China Medical Association and China Institute of Sport Science, General Administration of Sport of China have jointly developed this expert consensus. The consensus is based on the latest international exercise guidelines, evidence from clinical research, and the specific national context of China. It was developed using the Delphi method through three rounds of expert consultations, combined with multidisciplinary discussions, resulting in the "Expert Consensus on Exercise for Pregnant and Postpartum Women (2025 edition)." This consensus covers key areas such as the appropriate population for exercise during pregnancy, exercise contraindications, exercise structure, and postpartum exercise, offering 10 key recommendations. Its aim is to provide scientific and actionable guidance for exercise interventions for pregnant and postpartum women in China and to promote the application of the integration of sports and medicine in perinatal health management.

Background: Preeclampsia, a hypertensive pregnancy disorder, increases long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. While subclinical cardiac dysfunction postpartum has been reported, the role of myocardial fibrosis, scar tissue from injury, remains unclear. T1Rho (T1ρ), a new CMR mapping parameter, quantifies myocardial fibrosis without contrast and was validated in heart failure. However, its value in postpartum women with preeclampsia, who have chronic inflammation, is unknown. We tested the feasibility of measuring T1rho using 3T CMR and hypothesized that T1ρ (myocardial fibrosis), is elevated in postpartum women with preeclampsia compared to controls. Methods: We enrolled 21 women with and 23 without preeclampsia at a median of 4.5 months postpartum, matched for age, BMI, diabetes mellitus diagnosis, preexisting hypertension, and race/ethnicity who underwent research CMR (cardiovascular magnetic resonance). Mean cardiac T1ρ was measured in blinded manner (QMass/Medis software) and values compared between groups using t-tests for significance (p<0.05). Results: Women with and without preeclampsia were similar in age (mean 32.6 ± 5.7 years), diabetes mellitus diagnosis (20.5%), preexisting hypertension (27.3%), BMI (mean: 28.3 ± 10.8 kg/m^2), and race/ethnicity (50% White, 32% Black, and 7% Hispanic). T1ρ measures were significantly higher among women with (45.0 ± 2.3) vs. without preeclampsia (42.7 ± 2.9), p=0.007 (Figure 1). Conclusions: Women with preeclampsia have higher levels of diffuse myocardial fibrosis compared to controls. These findings provide novel evidence that increased myocardial fibrosis may contribute to increased long-term CVD risk in preeclamptic women.

High postpartum smoking relapse rates indicate opportunities to address nicotine dependence. Data on postpartum vaping is scarce. This study explored postpartum women's perspectives on support for quitting or preventing relapse to smoking and vaping. Postpartum women who smoked or quit during pregnancy completed brief telephone interviews at two-, four-, six- and twelve-months postpartum (May 2023-December 2024). Interviews included the question: In the ideal world, what support would you need to help you stop smoking or vaping or stay quit? Inductive content analysis was conducted. Responses were examined by timepoint and by four smoking/vaping status groups (quit nicotine products during pregnancy [QPreg]; quit postpartum [QPP]; never quit [NQ]; relapsed postpartum [R]) was explored. Of 832 invited, 770 (93%) consented, 566 (74%) completed at least one interview. The proportion in each group were consistent across timepoints: QPreg (21-23%; n=53-111), QPP (9-11%; n=25-47), NQ (56-57%; n=140-284), and R (10-14%; n=34-57). Also consistent across time were smoking prevalence (59-61%), vaping prevalence (7-8%) and dual use with combustible tobacco (7-9%). Six main categories: I don't know/nothing; Health professional support; Physical health; Mental-emotional health; Social-environmental health; Public health, and 22 generic categories were interpreted. Coding patterns were generally consistent across timepoints, with some subgroup differences: R participants more often referenced Regulation and policy (Public health); NQ and R groups responses cited Stress; QPreg and QPP groups' highlighted Babies and children as motivators; NQ participants more often mentioned NRT/medication and Nothing. Low vaping prevalence and lack of distinction in responses limited conclusions about vaping-specific support. This study highlights the diverse and evolving support preferences of postpartum women across smoking and vaping trajectories. Women identified interventions addressing stress, mental health, and regulatory environments and supporting parenting motivations as being helpful. Findings underscore the importance of nuanced, subgroup-specific strategies to sustain nicotine cessation postpartum.

Background: The fourth trimester—the postpartum year—is a critical window for maternal health, particularly among populations facing psychosocial stressors. While adverse SDOH are known contributors to disparities in maternal outcomes, the specific influence of psychosocial domains on long-term cardiovascular and multisystem risks remains underexplored. Methods: Using data from the TriNetX US Collaborative Network (64 healthcare organizations), we conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of 66,320 postpartum women (15–60 years) with psychosocial SDOH exposures between 2008 and 2023, compared to 1,876,884 postpartum women without documented SDOH exposures. After 1:1 propensity score matching, 42,256 patients per group were included. Outcomes—such as all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), heart failure subtypes, thromboembolic events, and end-organ dysfunction—were assessed over a 5-year follow-up using risk and survival analyses. Results: Women with psychosocial stressors had significantly elevated risks of all-cause mortality (Risk Ratio [RR] = 2.08, p < 0.001), acute myocardial infarction (RR = 1.69, p = 0.003), 3-point and 4-point MACCE (RR = 1.69 for both, p < 0.001), and liver failure (RR = 2.24, p = 0.002). Increased risk was also observed for acute kidney injury (RR = 1.22, p = 0.013). Conversely, postpartum preeclampsia was less common in the SDOH group (RR = 0.78, p < 0.001), a trend warranting deeper investigation. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated significantly lower survival probabilities among the psychosocial SDOH cohort across multiple outcomes. Conclusions: Psychosocial stressors are associated with heightened maternal morbidity and mortality in the postpartum period, particularly regarding cardiovascular and systemic complications. These findings emphasize the urgent need for integrated psychosocial screening and intervention strategies in postpartum care, with implications for both clinical practice and policy to address maternal health inequities.

Although knowledge of the factors associated with quality of life in women after childbirth are essential for optimizing maternity care, there is scarcity of evidence on quality of life of postpartum women in Ethiopia. To identify the causal mechanisms of direct and indirect factors associated with health-related quality of life in postpartum women health facility linked community-based longitudinal cohort study was done with 775 mothers in Northwest Ethiopia from October 2020–March 2021. Health-related quality of life was measured by the Amharic version of the shortened World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) instrument. A structural equation statistical analysis method was used to determine the direct and indirect effects of predictor variables on individual domains of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) as measured by the WHOQOL-BREF-26 items. Fear of childbirth (β = − 0.18 to − 0.06) had a direct negative effect on s environmental quality of life at the first, second and third follow up period. Anxiety (β = − 0.92 to − 0.31) had also a direct negative effect on the four domains of HRQOL throughout the follow up period. Similarly, higher functional disability score (β = − 0.36 to − 0.15) as measured by the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) had a direct negative effect on the four domains of HRQOL throughout the follow up period. Whereas, higher social support scale (β = 0.97 to 1.64) had a direct positive effect on the four domains of HRQOL at the three follow up periods. Indirect maternal morbidity (β = -3.37) had a direct negative effect on the physical quality of life at the third follow up period. Anxiety (β = -0.34 to -0.18) had also an indirect negative effect through WHODAS total score on the physical, psychological and environmental quality of life throughout the follow up period and on the social quality of life at the first and second follow up period. In addition, fear of child birth (β = -0.06 to -0.03) had also an indirect negative effect through WHODAS total score on the four domains of HRQOL throughout the follow up period. Similarly, social support (β = 1.09 to 1.53) had an indirect positive effect through fear of birth and WHODAS total score on the four domains of quality of life throughout the follow up period. In the postpartum period, anxiety screening and therapy may help to improve maternal health-related quality of life. Supplying sufficient details regarding birthing processes, responding to women’s needs during giving birth, and intervention strategies for negative appraisals of childbirth are essential to avert quality of life impairment in postpartum women.

Introduction: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare, underrecognized cause of acute coronary syndrome, responsible for up to 4% of ACS cases, with higher incidence in young females. It can result in myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, or sudden cardiac death. Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a common nonatherosclerotic arteriopathy found in SCAD patients. Pregnancy-associated SCAD (PASCAD) affects 1.81 per 100,000 pregnancies, according to national inpatient data. Case Presentation: A 38-year-old woman, G3P3, presented 16 days postpartum with chest pain radiating to both arms and transient left monocular vision loss. Troponins rose from 466 to 638 ng/L over 90 minutes. EKG showed ischemic changes. Cardiac catheterization revealed SCAD type 1, 2, and 3 on RPDA and RPLB, OM1, and mid to distal LAD respectively. Echocardiogram showed lateral wall hypokinesis with preserved ejection fraction. CT angiography identified 60% stenosis and subtle beading of the left internal carotid artery, <50% stenosis of the right carotid, and segmental narrowing of the superior mesenteric artery suggestive of FMD. ESR and CRP were elevated but rheumatologic workup was negative. Brain MRI and vascular duplex studies were unremarkable. The patient was treated with nitroglycerin and discharged on aspirin, clopidogrel, metoprolol, rosuvastatin, and amlodipine. Eleven days later, she presented with similar chest pain but no new EKG changes. She declined repeat angiography and opted to continue conservative management with cardiac rehabilitation. Discussion: PASCAD is a rare but important cause of ACS in postpartum women, likely driven by hormonal, hemodynamic, and vascular changes that increase arterial fragility. Coronary angiography is the diagnostic gold standard in symptomatic patients. Conservative medical therapy is preferred over PCI, given risks of stent misplacement and dissection extension. SCAD often resolves spontaneously, though recurrence occurs in ~11% within two years. Associations with pregnancy and FMD are well recognized and FMD is found in up to 86% of SCAD cases. SCAD and FMD share overlapping genetic mechanisms, underscoring the need for vascular screening in postpartum patients. Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of considering SCAD in postpartum women and the role of FMD as a predisposing arteriopathy. Prompt recognition and tailored management are essential to reduce morbidity and avoid invasive procedures when possible.

Background: Education and literacy are key components of the social determinants of health (SDOH) that may influence maternal cardiovascular health, particularly during the vulnerable postpartum period. This study evaluates the association between education/literacy-related SDOH and adverse cardiovascular and maternal outcomes in reproductive-age females following delivery. Methods: Using data from the TriNetX US Collaborative Network, a retrospective cohort study was conducted among females aged 15–60 years with delivery or postpartum encounters from 2008 to 2023. Two cohorts were identified: Cohort 1 (n=3,033) included individuals with a diagnosis of education/literacy-related SDOH (ICD-10 Z55), and Cohort 2 (n=1,876,884) included patients without any SDOH exposure. Propensity score matching produced two comparable cohorts of 2,981 patients each. Outcomes were assessed within 5 years following the index event. Results: No significant differences were found in all-cause mortality, ischemic stroke, or major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). However, individuals in the SDOH group had a significantly higher incidence of cardiac arrest (0.3% vs. 0.0%, p=0.002), end-stage heart failure (0.3% vs. 0.0%, p=0.002), and acute myocardial infarction (HR=3.94, p=0.021). Conversely, the incidence of postpartum eclampsia was lower in the SDOH cohort (0.3% vs. 0.8%, p=0.016). Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed lower survival probabilities in the SDOH group for several endpoints, despite most outcome differences not reaching statistical significance. Conclusions: Education and literacy-related SDOH are associated with increased risk of severe cardiovascular outcomes—including cardiac arrest and end-stage heart failure—among postpartum women. These findings underscore the importance of addressing educational inequities as part of comprehensive maternal cardiovascular risk reduction strategies.

Background: Postpartum hypertensive disorders are a major cause of maternal mortality and hospital readmission. If untreated, elevated blood pressure can lead to complications such as eclampsia, stroke, and pulmonary edema. Labetalol, a combined α- and β-blocker, and nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker, are widely used oral agents for managing postpartum hypertension. Hypothesis: To compare the efficacy and safety of nifedipine versus labetalol in managing postpartum hypertension. Methods: A systematic review of PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library identified eight studies involving 31,436 patients (12,479 treated with nifedipine; 18,957 treated with labetalol). All randomized controlled trials and observational studies comparing nifedipine and labetalol in postpartum women were included. The primary outcome was hospital readmission. Secondary outcomes included time to blood pressure control, discharge on initial dose, and adverse effects, which included constipation, flushing, and headache. Dichotomous data were analyzed using risk ratios (RRs), and continuous data were assessed using mean differences (MDs) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Statistical analysis was performed using Review Manager (RevMan) version 5.4.1. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Nifedipine significantly reduced the risk of readmission compared to labetalol (RR = 0.40, 95% CI [0.31, 0.52]; P < 0.00001). No significant differences were found in time to blood pressure control (MD = –0.68, 95% CI [–2.20, 0.84]; P = 0.38), discharge on initial medication (RR = 0.78, 95% CI [0.45, 1.34]; P = 0.37), or incidence of adverse effects. Conclusion: Nifedipine was associated with lower readmission risk than labetalol, with comparable efficacy and safety in postpartum hypertension management. Keywords: Nifedipine, Labetalol, Postpartum hypertension, Oral antihypertensive

BackgroundQuality maternal care is crucial to improve outcomes for both mothers and newborns. Many initiatives to improve maternal care concentrate on improving clinical practice. However, women’s experiences of care are also important determinants of health outcomes. Establishing strong interpersonal relationships between health workers and women is essential for delivering high-quality person-centered care, with health workers who empathize with women, respect their needs and concerns, and communicate effectively. Aligned with the World Health Organization standards of care framework, this study aimed to explore women’s experiences of care during labour and childbirth, focusing on communication, respectful, and supportive care.MethodsA qualitative exploratory study was conducted with postpartum women in rural district hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal. Purposive sampling was used to recruit women from communities within the hospitals’ catchment areas. Data were collected through focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted in the local language of participants. Five FGDs were conducted between January and April 2023. Inductive thematic analysis using NVivo v12 was employed to analyze the data.FindingsA few women described positive experiences of care, but most women reported suboptimal care characterized by poor communication, lack of privacy, and disrespectful treatment. Participants described experiences of verbal and physical abuse, being called demeaning names, facing invasive procedures without providing consent, and inadequate emotional support, such as their concerns being systematically ignored and birth companions being denied entry to labour wards. Some women responded to these challenges through various coping mechanisms including staying quiet to avoid confrontation, following instructions rigidly, seeking advice from other women in the labour ward, and in some cases standing up for themselves. Some women described persistent anger and distress as a result of their experiences.ConclusionThe findings of the study highlight persistent gaps in effective communication and supportive care for women during labour and childbirth. Possible interventions could be aimed at improving communication skills of health workers as well as fostering a culture of empathy and respect for women in their care. In addition, empowering women through antenatal education and implementing birth companion policies could further improve women’s experiences during labour and childbirth.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-025-08334-0.

Background Postpartum depression (PPD) is a prevalent mental health issue with significant implications for maternal and infant wellbeing. Despite extensive research, the complex interplay of perinatal factors contributing to PPD remains inadequately characterized. This study utilizes a network analysis approach to identify central depressive symptoms, critical perinatal risk factors, and pathways contributing to PPD among Chinese postpartum women. Methods A prospective observational study enrolled 377 women from 10 tertiary hospitals in China. Sociodemographic and perinatal factors were assessed shortly after childbirth. At 4–6 weeks postpartum, PPD symptoms were evaluated using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Maternal and infant health outcomes, breastfeeding experiences, and family support were captured through self-administered questionnaires. Random forest and Bayesian network analyses were employed to identify influential factors and their interrelationships. Results Among the participants, 98 women (26.0, 95% CI: 21.6–30.7%) screened positive for PPD (EPDS score ≥10). Anxiety/Worry emerged as the most central symptom in the network, with the highest strength and centrality (Degree = 0.893, Betweenness = 0.888). Key risk factors included breastfeeding challenges (RF = 0.752), maternal physical complaints (RF = 0.431), and adverse infant health conditions (RF = 0.350). Protective effects were observed for prolonged skin-to-skin contact, family support for breastfeeding, and positive childbirth self-perception. Hospital type served as a central bridging node within the network, strongly connected with factors related to peripartum care services, childbirth experience and PPD. Conclusion This study reveals a significant prevalence of PPD among mothers in China. It underscores the positive impact of skin-to-skin contact, continuous postpartum care and tailored breastfeeding support in addressing PPD. These findings will advance PPD prevention strategies and inform evidence-based clinical practice in postpartum care.

A qualitative analysis of postpartum women's experiences with urinary incontinence and physical activity.

To investigate retention in care, viral suppression, and virological failure in pregnant and postpartum women with HIV compared to nonpregnant/nonpostpartum women with HIV in Denmark, and to explore factors associated with adverse HIV care outcomes. A nationwide registry-based cohort study. All women with HIV, who delivered in Denmark from 2000 to 2019, alongside a comparison group of nonpregnant/nonpostpartum women with HIV were included from the Danish HIV Birth Cohort and the Danish HIV Cohort Study and linked to national health registries. We assessed outcomes: retention in care (two HIV RNA or CD4+ measurements ≥90 days apart within a year), viral suppression (HIV RNA <200 copies/ml at the latest measurement), and virological failure (two consecutive HIV RNA measurements >200 copies/ml or one >1000 copies/ml). Incidence rate ratios evaluated group differences, and logistic regression analyzed factors linked to adverse outcomes. We included 564 pregnant and 1705 nonpregnant/nonpostpartum women with HIV. Retention in care was significantly lower during pregnancy, especially for deliveries before 2014, and in the second postpartum year. No significant differences in viral suppression were found between groups after stratification by delivery year or in women with more than 1 year since HIV diagnosis. Pregnant women had higher rates of virological failure, while postpartum women had lower rates, significant only in the second postpartum year for women delivering before 2010. Based on CD4+/HIV RNA measurements, retention in care was lower in pregnant and postpartum women, particularly in the second year. Reassuringly, viral suppression and virological failure rates were comparable.

Prioritisation of where and when to initiate a lifestyle intervention to reduce cardiometabolic disease risk in high-risk pregnant and postpartum women: A pre-implementation mixed-methods study.

Investigation of the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Comprehensive Breastfeeding Knowledge Scale.

Elevated risk of postpartum depressive symptoms among Arab women in Israel: The role of maternal role satisfaction and psychological flexibility.