title: Mental health trajectories and related factors among perinatal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate Taiwanese women's mental health trajectories from the third trimester of pregnancy to four weeks postpartum and the correlations of these trajectories with perceived social support and demographic characteristics.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have reported differences between prenatal and postpartum mental health status.
  
  
  METHODS
  A repeated design study was conducted in a medical hospital in Southern Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred and ninety-four Taiwanese women completed the Chinese Health Questionnaire and Social Support Scale at the 36th prenatal week and first and fourth week postpartum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three linear mental health trajectories for perinatal women were identified. Consistently poor perinatal mental health was reported by 16·0% of the participants. Less social support was associated with lower prenatal mental health scores. Younger age was a risk factor for consistently poor perinatal health. Vaginal delivery was associated with improved mental health after childbirth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mental health was worse in the third trimester of pregnancy than postpartum. Less social support was associated with lower prenatal mental health scores, and this association was similarly distributed between women with consistently poor and improved mental health after birth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health care providers should assess women's mental health status and provide timely interventions during the perinatal period. Social support should be provided for pregnant women, especially younger women or those with lower perceived social support.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pei-Chao
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chich-Hsiu
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hung
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D018743:Perinatal Care; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: mental health; perinatal; trajectory; women