Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36348304›Full record

ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2022

The effects of pregnancy discrimination on postpartum depressive symptoms: a follow-up study.

Yuko Kachi, Takeo Fujiwara, Akiomi Inoue, Sachiko Baba, Hisashi Eguchi, Hiroshi Ohta, Akizumi Tsutsumi

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 30% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Workplace Discrimination Against Pregnant and Postpartum Employees: Links to Well-Being.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Yuko KachiDepartment of Public Health, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-Ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan. kachi@med.kitasato-u.ac.jp.
Takeo FujiwaraDepartment of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
Akiomi InoueInstitutional Research Center, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-Ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
Sachiko BabaDivision of Community Health and Research, Maternal and Child Health Information Center, Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital, 840 Murodo-Cho, Izumi, Osaka, 594-1101, Japan.
Hisashi EguchiDepartment of Mental Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-Ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Japan.
Hiroshi OhtaDepartment of Public Health, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-Ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan.
Akizumi TsutsumiDepartment of Public Health, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-Ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan.
Kitasato University · JPUniversity of Occupational and Environmental Health Japan · JPOsaka Women's and Children's Hospital · JPTokyo Medical and Dental University · JP

Funding

JSPS KAKENHI JP18K17398
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPregnancy discrimination in the workplace is prevalent worldwide. However, few studies have examined the effects of pregnancy discrimination on mothers' perinatal mental health. We aimed to investigate the association between pregnancy discrimination and postpartum depressive symptoms, and the mediation effects of prenatal depressive symptoms on this association.

methodsOur sample consisted of 285 Japanese women employed during pregnancy who completed a baseline online survey in May 2020 and a follow-up mail survey two months postpartum. Pregnancy discrimination was defined as exposure to any of 16 forms of disadvantageous treatment or harassment related to pregnancy, prohibited by national guidelines. Prenatal (assessed at baseline) and postpartum (assessed at follow-up) depressive symptoms were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Multiple linear regression and mediation analyses were performed overall and stratified by regular (permanent) and non-regular (precarious) employees.

resultsOverall, 23.9% of participants experienced pregnancy discrimination during pregnancy. After adjusting for potential confounders, pregnancy discrimination was significantly associated with postpartum depressive symptoms (coefficient 1.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65-2.88). When stratified by employment type, these effects were observable among non-regular employees (coefficient 2.51, 95% CI 0.45-4.57) but not regular employees. Mediation analysis showed that prenatal depressive symptoms mediated 57.1% (95% CI 20.1-94.1%) of the association between pregnancy discrimination and postpartum depressive symptoms among all participants, with a greater effect among non-regular employees (64.1% [95% CI 18.5-109.8%]).

conclusionsPregnancy discrimination has adverse effects on postpartum depressive symptoms, partially through prenatal depressive symptoms, especially among non-regular employees. To prevent perinatal depression in female workers, employers should comply with legislation and take preventive measures against pregnancy discrimination, while considering vulnerable employees.

Indexed as

Depression, PostpartumDepressionFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMothersPostpartum PeriodPregnancyFollow-up studyMediation analysisPostpartum depressionPrecarious employmentPregnancy discrimination

Identifiers

PMID36348304
PMCPMC9641687
OpenAlexW4308587232

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.