Fig. 3

Mediation and moderation effects between variables of interest. (A) Mediation effects between a history of anxiety or depression and postpartum depression scores. The relationship between prenatal anxiety or depression and postpartum depression scores was not mediated by labor pain and postpartum pain. Labor pain and postpartum pain remained independent predictors of six-week postpartum depression scores (solid lines). Relationships that are not significant are indicated by dotted lines. (B) Moderation effects between the emotional burden of labor pain and postpartum depression scores. The strength of the relationship between the emotional burden of labor pain and postpartum depression increases for women choosing and receiving epidural analgesia and for women who are African American (solid lines). The strength of the relationship did not change for negative affect, perceived social support, or pain catastrophizing (dotted lines). AUC, area under the curve; EPDS, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale