Relation between delivery mode and maternal mental status one month after delivery at a perinatal center in Japan: A cross-sectional study

Background: Maternal mental status has been thought to be affected by the delivery modes. We examined the relation between delivery modes and the mental status of women who delivered at our institute in Japan. Methods: Data were collected from the medical charts of 643 primiparous women without a history of mental disorders who delivered singleton babies and underwent a 1-month postpartum check-up at our institute from September 2018 to June 2019. The maternal mental status was examined based on the scores of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Mother-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS). Results: The rate of high scores of the EPDS and the MIBS in women choosing elective cesarean section were higher than in women with vaginal delivery and emergency cesarean section. Conclusion: Mental health care may be necessary for women choosing elective cesarean section.