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Table 2 Association between psychological symptoms, bodily changes, birth-related symptoms, breastfeeding, severe fatigue and mode of birth at 1 month after birth

From: Mode of birth and women’s psychological and physical wellbeing in the postnatal period

 

Unassisted Vaginala

Ventouse-assisteda

Forceps-assisteda

Unplanned Caesareana

Planned Caesareana

p

n = 3275

n = 302

n = 359

n = 675

n = 630

 

n (%)

n (%)

n (%)

n (%)

n (%)

 

The blues

      

  No

2850 (87)

266 (88)

295 (82)

574 (85)

544 (86)

0.08

  Yes

425 (13)

36 (12)

64 (18)

101 (15)

86 (14)

 

Depression

      

  No

3055 (93)

289 (96)

320 (89)

627 (93)

589 (94)

0.02

  Yes

220 (7)

13 (4)

39 (11)

48 (7)

41 (7)

 

Anxiety

      

  No

2961 (90)

272 (90)

298 (83)

596 (88)

568 (90)

<0.001

  Yes

314 (10)

30 (10)

61 (17)

79 (12)

62 (10)

 

PTSD symptoms

      

  No

2646 (81)

229 (76)

243 (68)

515 (76)

529 (84)

<0.001

  1

494 (15)

56 (19)

85 (24)

110 (16)

76 (12)

 

  ≥2

135 (4)

17 (6)

31 (9)

50 (7)

25 (4)

 

Bodily changes

      

  No

2156 (66)

164 (54)

202 (56)

444 (66)

453 (72)

<0.001

  Yes

1119 (34)

138 (46)

157 (43)

231 (34)

177 (28)

 

Birth -related symptoms

      

  No

3017 (92)

242 (80)

250 (70)

546 (81)

534 (84)

<0.001

  Yes

258 (8)

60 (20)

109 (30)

129 (19)

96 (15)

 

Breastfeeding difficulties

      

  No

2828 (86)

246 (82)

286 (80)

551 (82)

555 (88)

<0.001

  Yes

447 (14)

56 (19)

73 (20)

124 (18)

75 (12)

 

Severe tiredness/ Fatigue

      

  No

2487 (76)

222 (74)

246 (69)

488 (72)

469 (74)

0.02

  Yes

788 (24)

80 (27)

113 (32)

187 (28)

161 (26)

 
  1. aNumbers may not sum to total because some data missing.