Postpartum intrusions are associated with child and maternal mental health

Abstract Intrusive thoughts of infant-related harm are a common postpartum experience, yet their relationship with maternal and infant mental health is understudied. The current analyses utilized data from 267 participants ( M = 32.2, SD = 4.6) across Australia, the UK, and the US who took part in the COVID-19 Risks Across the Lifespan (CORAL) study. The included participants were pregnant at Time 1 (May to September 2020) and completed measures of postpartum intrusions and mental health at 1–3 follow-up timepoints (up to April 2022) after giving birth. Postpartum intrusions were cross-sectionally associated with poorer maternal (anxiety and depression) and infant (negative affectivity) mental health at Time 4 (~ 1.5 years after Time 1). These associations held when controlling for covariates including antenatal stress, antenatal depression and anxiety, and infant age. Postpartum intrusions were also prospectively associated with infant negative affectivity at Time 4, as well as maternal anxiety and depression at Time 4. These findings highlight the importance of preparing expectant parents for, and further educating antenatal healthcare professionals about, the experience of postpartum intrusions.