Assisted conception is a risk factor for postnatal mood disturbance and early parenting difficulties.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether assisted conception is associated with an increased risk of admission to a residential early parenting program for treatment of maternal mood disorder or infant feeding or sleeping disorders in the postpartum year.


METHODS
Systematic audit of consecutive medical records.


METHODS
Masada Private Hospital Mother Baby Unit (MPHMBU), Melbourne, Australia.


METHODS
Medical records of all mother-infant dyads admitted to MPHMBU between July 2000 and August 2002.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Modes of conception and delivery of index infant, maternal and infant age on admission, multiplicity of birth, infant birth weight, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores.


RESULTS
A total of 745 records were audited, and mode of conception was recorded in 526 (70.6%) of records. Overall 6% (45/745) of the admitted infants had been conceived through assisted reproductive technologies compared with 1.52% in the general population (relative risk 4.0; 95% confidence interval, 3.0-5.4). Mothers who had conceived with assisted reproductive technologies were older and more likely to have had cesarean and multiple births than those who conceived spontaneously.


CONCLUSIONS
Assisted conception appears to be associated with a significantly increased rate of early parenting difficulties. Women who experience assisted conception may require additional support before and after their babies are born.
Fisher
Jane R W
JR
Key Centre for Women's Health in Society, School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. jrwf@unimelb.edu.au
Hammarberg
Karin
K
Baker
H W Gordon
HW
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008499:Medical Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors