Associations of maternal mood on the outcome of childbirth: a latent profile analysis

Abstract

It is important to recognize that childbirth and the transition to the maternal role constitute a profound identity reconstruction, involving both the physical experience of labor and the psychological adaptation to motherhood, during which many women experience unstable and intense emotional fluctuations. This study compared the pregnancy outcomes among women who exhibit varying emotional states during childbirth. Pregnant women recruited from a maternal and child health hospital had their maternal mood states assessed using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) during the active period of labor. Based on individual POMS item responses, latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to classify maternal emotional patterns during labor and to identify emotional patterns specific to the latent phase. Outcome measures included labor outcomes (e.g., cervical dilation and duration of labor) as well as neonatal health indicators. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare pregnancy outcomes across different groups. A total of 244 women giving birth were investigated, among whom two distinct emotional groups emerged based on their experiences during childbirth: a positive mood cohort comprised 213 individuals (87.5%), while the remaining 31 (12.5%,) displayed negative emotional states. Women experiencing negative mood during childbirth displayed extended duration of cervical dilation, lower levels of umbilical artery chloride ion and pH, and higher levels of lactic acid and anion gap. Subsequent adjustments for confounding factors revealed statistically significant disparities in Full dilation of the cervix and duration of contractions (F = 4.898, p = 0.028), umbilical artery pH (F = 4.529, p = 0.034), lactic acid levels (F = 6.792, p = 0.010), and anion gap levels (F = 15.154, p = 0.000) among women. Negative emotional states during childbirth can prolong Full dilation of the cervix and duration of contractions and increase the risk of subumbilical artery pH. As a result, we recommend that healthcare professionals enhance psychological support and counseling throughout the delivery process to mitigate emotional distress during labor, ultimately leading to improved pregnancy outcomes.