EXPLORING SELF-EFFICACY, FAMILY SUPPORT, AND POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION IN MOTHERS AFTER CRYPTIC PREGNANCY: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Introduction: Cryptic pregnancy, or the delayed recognition of pregnancy until late gestation, poses unique psychological challenges for mothers due to the lack of prenatal preparation and sudden transition to motherhood. These circumstances may increase the risk of postpartum depression. Protective factors such as maternal self-efficacy and family support are believed to play an important role in reducing depressive symptoms after childbirth. Objective: The purpose of this study is (1) to analyze the relationship between maternal self-efficacy and postpartum depression among mothers with a history of cryptic pregnancy, (2) to analyze the relationship between family support and postpartum depression, and (3) to assess the extent to which maternal self-efficacy and family support predict postpartum depression levels. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jombang Regency, East Java, Indonesia, from May to August 2025, involving 104 mothers with a history of cryptic pregnancy recruited by non-probability snowball sampling. Maternal self-efficacy was assessed using the 15-item questionnaire developed by Witungga et al. (2024; α = 0.916), family support with the 14-item questionnaire by the same authors (α = 0.836), and postpartum depression with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; Adli, 2022). Data were analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation and ordinal logistic regression. Results: Most respondents had moderate self-efficacy (72.1%), fair family support (65.4%), and no signs of postpartum depression (68.3%). Spearman’s correlation showed significant negative associations between self-efficacy (ρ = –0.426, p = 0.001) and family support (ρ = –0.398, p = 0.002) with postpartum depression. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression indicated that both self-efficacy (B = –0.462, p = 0.014, OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.44–0.91) and family support (B = –0.518, p = 0.012, OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.40–0.89) were significant protective factors, jointly explaining 28.9% of variance in postpartum depression (Nagelkerke R² = 0.289). Conclusion: Maternal self-efficacy and family support are significant protective factors against postpartum depression in mothers with cryptic pregnancy. Strengthening maternal confidence and empowering family support systems are essential strategies to mitigate depressive symptoms in this vulnerable group.