Table 1.
Sample characteristics of postpartum women
| Nulliparous | Primiparous (n = 41) | Multiparous (n = 37) | Statistical test | |
| Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | |||
| Age | 26.7 (4.53) | 31.24 (4.09) | 32.57 (4.66) | Welch F2,75.49 = 17.44, P < .001a |
| Gestational age in days | 276.68 (10.90) | 275.43 (10.63) | t 76 = 5.12, P = 0.610 | |
| Child’s birth weight | 3281.10 (454.91) | 3431.08 (508.45) | t 76 = −1.36, P = 0.173 | |
| MPAS 3 weeks pp | 86.07 (4.69) | 84.05 (5.82) | t 76 = 1.69, P = 0.094 | |
| Quality of attachment | 40.45 (2.68) | 39.11 (3.41) | t 76 = 1.93, P = 0.058 | |
| Absence of hostility | 22.85 (2.14) | 22.76 (1.89) | t 76 = 0.20, P = 0.841 | |
| Pleasure in interaction | 23.05 (1.72) | 22.19 (2.89) | t 57.76 = 1.57, P = 0.122 | |
| MPAS 6 weeks pp | 86.20 (4.33) | 83.73 (6.31) | t 62.84 = 1.99, P = 0.051 | |
| Quality of attachment | 40.35 (31.10) | 39.49 (3.45) | t 76 = 1.56, P = 0.251 | |
| Absence of hostility | 22.80 (1.92) | 22.05 (2.31) | t 76 = 1.54, P = 0.127 | |
| Pleasure in interaction | 23.05 (1.41) | 22.19 (2.85) | t 51.71 = 1.65, P = 0.104 | |
| MPAS 9 weeks pp | 85.93 (4.79) | 83.65 (6.29) | t 66.98 = 1.78, P = .079 | |
| Quality of attachment | 40.53 (3.43) | 39.22 (3.59) | t 76 = 1.64, P = 0.106 | |
| Absence of hostility | 22.55 (2.14) | 22.16 (2.48) | t 76 = 0.74, P = 0.463 | |
| Pleasure in interaction | 22.95 (1.68) | 22.30 (2.60) | t 60.75 = 1.29, P = 0.200 | |
| MPAS 12 weeks pp | 86.22 (4.66) | 85.05 (6.19) | t 76 = 0.95, P = 0.348 | |
| Quality of attachment | 40.55 (3.34) | 40.11 (3.51) | t 76 = 0.57, P = 0.573 | |
| Absence of hostility | 22.80 (2.42) | 22.27 (2.38) | t 76 = 0.97, P = 0.336 | |
| Pleasure in interaction | 23.25 (1.31) | 22.43 (2.89) | t 49.51 = 1.58, P = 0.121 | |
| EPDS at birth | 3.39 (2.48) | 4.32 (2.45) | t 76 = −.167, P = .099 | |
| EPDS 3 weeks pp | 4.34 (3.09) | 4.27 (2.28) | t 73.18 = 0.16, P = 0.908 | |
| EPDS 6 weeks pp | 3.51 (2.44) | 3.70 (2.59) | t 76 = −0.33, P = 0.739 | |
| EPDS 9 weeks pp | 2.71 (2.39) | 3.27 (2.68) | t 76 = −0.98, P = 0.330 | |
| EPDS 12 weeks pp | 2.24 (1.88) | 2.65 (2.29) | t 76 = −0.86, P = 0.394 | |
| Percent | Percent | |||
| Secondary education | Fisher’s exact = 9.41, P = 0.027b | |||
| Lowest (<9 years) | – | – | 11.1 | |
| Middle (10–12 years) | 12.5 | 15 | 2.8 | |
| Highest (>13 years) | 87.5 | 85 | 86.1 | |
| Birth mode | Fisher’s exact = 5.34, P = 0.125 | |||
| Spontaneous | 68.3 | 78.4 | ||
| Ventouse | 9.8 | – | ||
| C-section | 12.2 | 18.9 | ||
| Emergency C-section | 9.8 | 2.7 | ||
| Experience of baby blues (yes) | 48.8 | 54.1 | Chi2(1) = 0.22, P = 0.642 | |
| Intend to breastfeed at T0 (yes) | 92.7 | 83.8 | Fisher’s exact = 5.34, P = 0.295 | |
| Breastfeeding at T1 (yes) | 87.8 | 78.4 | Chi2(1) = 1.24, P = 0.265 | |
| Married (yes) | 7.7* | 61.0 | 75.7 | Chi2(2) = 30.10, P < 0.000c |
| Single (yes) | 65.4* | – | – | n. a. |
Note: MPAS (Condon and Corkindale 1998); EPDS (Cox et al. 1987); pp: postpartum; n.a.: no statistical analyses possible.
*About 14 nulliparous participants did not indicate their relationship status.
aGames–Howell corrected post hoc: significant differences between nulliparous and both postpartum groups.
bDue to low expected cell counts no post hoc test could be applied.
cSignificant standardized residual exceeding critical value in nulliparous controls.