Table 1.

Socio-demographic characteristics and health of first time mothers during pregnancy and postpartum (n = 1507).

	Data collection	% [95% confidence interval]
Socio demographics
Maternal age	Early pregnancya
18–24 years		15.5 [13.6–17.3]
25–29 years		32.2 [29.9–34.6]
30–34 years		37.1 [34.7–39.5]
35 + years		15.2 [13.4–17.0]
Relationship status	Early pregnancy
Living with partner		95.2 [94.2–96.4]
Single/divorced/separated		4.7 [3.6–5.8]
Education qualification	Early pregnancy
University degree		45.9 [43.4–48.5]
Certificate/diploma		26.1 [23.9–28.4]
Secondary school		18.4 [16.5–20.4]
Less than secondary school		9.5 [8.0–11.0]
Income ($AU)	Early pregnancy
More than $70,001		13.8 [12.1–15.6]
50,001–70,000		11.3 [9.6–12.9]
30,001–50,000		42.6 [40.0–45.2]
Less than 30,001		32.3 [29.8–34.8]
Country of birth	Early pregnancy
Australia		74.0 [71.8–76.2]
Overseas		26.0 [23.8–28.2]
Number of children in family	4 years
One child		27.8 [25.0–30.6]
2 or more children		72.2 [69.4–75.0]
Relationship transitions	4 years
No		84.4 [82.2–86.6]
Yes		15.6 [13.4–17.8]
Violence exposures
Mother report of childhood abuse (retrospective)	4 years
No		58.7 [55.5–61.9]
Sexual		13.0 [10.8–15.2]
Physical		17.4 [14.9–19.9]
Both sexual and physical		10.9 [8.9–12.8]
Intimate partner violence (CAS)
First year postpartum	12 months
Not reported		80.2 [78.0–82.3]
Emotional abuse alone		10.2 [8.6–11.9]
Physical abuse alone		2.4 [1.6–3.3]
Both emotional and physical		7.2 [5.7–8.6]
Any abuse (emotional &/or physical abuse)		19·8 [17·7–22·0]
Fourth year postpartum	4 years
Not reported		78.1 [75.5–80.8]
Emotional abuse alone		13.3 [11.0–15.7]
Physical abuse alone		1.4 [0.6–2.2]
Both emotional and physical		7.1 [5.3–8.8]
Any abuse (emotional &/or physical abuse)		21·9 [19·2–24·5]
Poor physical health
SF-36 Physical Component Score (< 1SD below mean)
Pregnancy	Early pregnancy	16.5 [14.6–18.4]
6 months	6 months	14.2 [12.4–16.0]
4 years	4 years	15.9 [13.8–17.9]
Poor mental health
SF-36 Mental Component Score (< 1SD below mean)
Pregnancy	Early pregnancy	16.0 [14.1–17.8]
6 month postpartum	6 months	17.1 [15.1–19.1]
4 year postpartum	4 years	17.4 [15.3–19.5]
Depressive symptoms (EPDS)
Pregnancy	Early &/or late pregnancyb	8.8 [7.4–10.2]
First year postpartum	3, 6, 12 months	18.4 [16.4–20.4]
4 year postpartum	4 years	14.5 [12.3–16.6]
Anxiety symptoms (single item)
Pregnancy	Early &/or late pregnancy	13.7 [12.0–15.5]
First year postpartum	3, 6, 9, 12 months	26.7 [24.4–29.0]
4 year postpartum	4 years	11.9 [9.9–13.9]

^aCohort enrolment in early pregnancy at ≤ 24 weeks gestation.

^bFollow up in late pregnancy at around 32 weeks gestation.