Catastrophizing pain in the perinatal period in postnatal maternal psychological outcomes: scoping review

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There are several conditions that can influence the experience of parturition and experiences related to labor pain. These aspects can result in important psychological outcomes in the postpartum period. Painful responses are mediated in different ways, and catastrophizing is one of the related variables. The objective of the present study was to map the evidence about the impact of pain catastrophizing in the perinatal period on postnatal maternal psychological outcomes, such as baby blues, anxiety disorders, postpartum depression and psychosis, up to three months after delivery. CONTENTS: A literature scope review, was carried out with the following question: “What is the impact of pain catastrophizing in the perinatal period on postnatal maternal psychological outcomes”? The search for studies that made up the sample was carried out on July 31, 2023, using the Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Virtual Health Library and Science Direct databases. 113 documents were identified and based on the selection, four articles were included in the sample, all of them prospective/observational studies. The impact of catastrophizing on outcomes was evaluated: state-trait anxiety, postpartum depression, perceived stress, mother-infant interactions, maternal blues and social functioning. CONCLUSION: It was shown that the catastrophizing of pain in the perinatal period is related to worse postnatal maternal psychological outcomes.

Keywords

• catastrophization
• depression postpartum
• labor pain
• parturition
• puerperal disorders