Date of Award
2009
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Program
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Supervisor
Dr. Karen Campbell
Second Advisor
Dr. William Avison
Third Advisor
Dr. Verinder Sharma
Abstract
Depressive symptoms persisting from pregnancy to postpartum are a significant health concern for both mother and child. This thesis aims to elucidate the impact of neonatal admission to specialized care on trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms in a cohort of women from London, Ontario. We hypothesized that women giving birth to infants subsequently admitted to specialized care at birth were at higher risk for experiencing an increase in depressive symptoms from pregnancy to 2 years postpartum. Data were collected from the Prenatal Health Project at the University of Western Ontario. Univariable and multivariable regression models were used to determine the relationship between infant admission to specialized care and trajectories of depressive symptoms. Depression in pregnancy, lower current stress, higher current social support and higher current child health were associated with depressive symptoms that decrease from pregnancy to postpartum. Infant admission to specialized care was not significantly associated with trajectories of maternal depression.
Recommended Citation
Sharpe, Kristine, "THE IMPACT OF INFANT ADMISSION TO SPECIALIZED CARE ON THE TRAJECTORIES OF MATERNAL DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS" (2009). Digitized Theses. 3956.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/3956