ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2025
Comparison of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in postpartum women with and without pain: a network analysis.
Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Development and psychometric evaluation of a postpartum stress scale in early postpartum mothers.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Differential Maternal Physiological Stress Responses During Rooming-In: High Stress in Newborn Sleeping versus Relief in Breastfeeding.International journal of women's health · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPostpartum pain may worsen new mothers’ psychological distress but is understudied. This study used network analysis to compare depression, anxiety, and stress symptom networks in postpartum women with and without pain.
methodsA total of 1153 postpartum women were grouped according to pain status: the no-pain group (n = 594) and the pain group (n = 559). Depression assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), anxiety via the DASS-21 anxiety subscale, and stress through the Maternal Postpartum Stress Scale (MPSS). Network analysis was employed to estimate and compare the symptom networks between the two groups, identifying central symptoms connecting different symptom clusters, and network comparison tests were conducted to assess differences in global and local network structures.
resultsIn the no-pain group, the most central symptoms were E8 (“I have felt sad and miserable”), M19 (“Lack of time for myself”), and M15 (“Insufficient enjoyment in sexual intercourse”). In the pain group, the top central symptoms were E5 (“I have felt scared or panicky for no very good reason”), M15, and E8. Network comparison tests indicated no significant differences in global structure (M = 0.132, P = 0.908) or overall connectivity strength (S = 0.262, P = 0.374). In the non-pain group, the item with the highest predictability is D5 (“I felt I was close to panic”), while in the pain group, it is E4 (“I have been anxious or worried for no good reason”).
conclusionsPostpartum pain modulates symptom networks, especially in body image and time management. Tailored interventions for pain - related distress are needed, and targeting central symptoms can improve maternal mental health.
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