Partner relationship, social support and perinatal distress among pregnant Icelandic women.
BACKGROUND
It is inferred that perinatal distress has adverse effects on the prospective mother and the health of the foetus/infant. More knowledge is needed to identify which symptoms of perinatal distress should be assessed during pregnancy and to shed light on the impact of women's satisfaction with their partner relationship on perinatal distress.


OBJECTIVE
The current study aimed to generate knowledge about the association of the partner relationship and social support when women are dealing with perinatal distress expressed by symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress.


METHODS
A structured interview was conducted with 562 Icelandic women who were screened three times during pregnancy with the Edinburgh Depression Scale and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale. Of these, 360 had symptoms of distress and 202 belonged to a non-distress group. The women answered the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. The study had a multicentre prospective design allowing for exploration of association with perinatal distress.


RESULTS
Women who were dissatisfied in their partner relationship were four times more likely to experience perinatal distress. Women with perinatal distress scored highest on the DASS Stress Subscale and the second highest scores were found on the Anxiety Subscale.


CONCLUSIONS
Satisfaction in partner relationship is related to perinatal distress and needs to be assessed when health care professionals take care of distressed pregnant women, her partner and her family. Assessment of stress and anxiety should be included in the evaluation of perinatal distress, along with symptoms of depression.
Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar/Växjö, Sweden; School of Health Sciences, University of Akureyri, Iceland. Electronic address: sia.jonsdottir@lnu.se.
Sigridur Sia
SS
Jonsdottir
School of Health Science, Faculty of Nursing, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Marga
M
Thome
Women's Clinic, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland; School of Health Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Thora
T
Steingrimsdottir
School of Health Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Linda Bara
LB
Lydsdottir
School of Health Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland; Division of Mental Health, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland; School of Business, Department of Psychology, Reykjavik University, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Jon Fridrik
JF
Sigurdsson
Division of Mental Health, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Halldora
H
Olafsdottir
Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar/Växjö, Sweden.
Katarina
K
Swahnberg
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology
Iceland; Midwives; Partner relationship; Perinatal distress; Social support