title: Maternal psychological state during the transition to motherhood: a longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological state of women and its associated factors in the third trimester of pregnancy and at 8 weeks postpartum and to explore the changes in psychological state between these two time points.
  
  
  METHODS
  This survey study was carried out on 358 pregnant women visiting urban health centers in Shahroud, northeast Iran, in 2011. The women were followed at 8 weeks postpartum. In the third trimester of pregnancy, the participants completed the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and two other questionnaires on sociodemographic characteristics and frequent psychosocial stressors. They also completed the GHQ-28 and an obstetric information form at 8 weeks postpartum. The cutoff score for GHQ-28 in Iran has been calculated as 24, which denotes probable psychological health problems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean total GHQ score decreased from 23.7 in the third trimester of pregnancy to 18.8 postpartum (P < 0.001). The proportion of women with a GHQ-28 score of 24 or higher in the third trimester of pregnancy and postpartum were 42% and 26%, respectively. Multiparity, caring for other family members, financial problems, and anxiety about personal and fetal health were the predictors of psychological health problems in the third trimester of pregnancy. The two predictors for postpartum psychological health problems were psychological health problems in the third trimester of pregnancy and the method of infant feeding at 8 weeks postpartum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of psychological symptoms was high among women in the third trimester of pregnancy. Psychological state of women improved after childbirth.
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran.
authors.forename: Forough
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mortazavi
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaman
authors.forename: Seyed Abbas
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mousavi
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khosravi
authors.forename: Mohammad-Esmaeil
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ajami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000523:psychology; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: postpartum period; pregnant women; psychological state