Maternity blues and attachment to children in mothers of full-term normal infants

Objective: This study was conducted for evaluating incidence of maternity b lues in Japan, in addition to clarifying the relationship between maternity blues and maternal attachment, and the factors involved. Method: A questionnaire survey was conducted on 417 mothers having given bi rth at the Nagoya Daini Red Cross Hospital. The questionnaire consisted of Zung's self-rating depression scale, and a 'postpartum maternal attachment' scale, consisting of subscales on 'core maternal attachment' and 'anxiety regarding children'. The survey was conducted 5.2 days +/- 1.46 postpartum. Results: ZSDS scores over 40 amounted to 66.8% of the responses. Analysis o f the two scales revealed significant correlation/inverse correlation betwe en 'maternity blues' and 'anxiety regarding children'/ 'core maternal attac hment'. Path analysis revealed 'maternity blues' to be influencing 'core ma ternal attachment' and 'anxiety regarding children'. Conclusion: It was found that the incidence of maternity blues may be highe r in Japan than was believed previously, and that an intimate association e xists between 'maternity blues' and 'postpartum maternal attachment'.