Childhood sexual abuse, parenting and postpartum depression - a 3-year follow-up study

Objective: This study is the second and final phase of a 3-year follow-up s tudy of women who had been admitted with a major depressive episode in the postpartum period, along with their children and partners where present. Th e effect of a maternal sexual abuse history on the women's well-being and c hild outcome compared to those women without such a history is highlighted. Method: Forty-five of an original cohort of 56 women were seen with their c hild where possible, when the child was an average of 36.8 months old. Twen ty-two women had no history of sexual abuse, and 23 gave a history of child hood sexual abuse. Women were assessed with respect to well-being, relation ships, parenting stress and psychiatric history since recruitment. The chil d's behavior and cognitive development was also assessed. Results: Women with a history of sexual abuse rated higher depression and a nxiety scores (p < .05), and had greater life stresses (p < .05). Their par tners rated themselves as more comforting and their children as more distur bed (p < .05). Over time, this group had failed to improve as much as the n onabuse group on these measures. There was no difference in child cognitive scores between groups. Conclusions: A history of sexual abuse in women who become depressed postpa rtum may have long term implications for the woman's mental health, her rel ationship with her child, as well as the emotional development of her child . It is critical to offer women in this high-risk group supports in an atte mpt to minimize these difficulties and any long-term adverse effects. (C) 2 001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.