Hair cortisol levels, psychological stress and psychopathological symptoms prior to instrumental deliveries.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether psychological variables (perceived stress, pregnancy-specific stress and psychopathology symptoms) and physiological variables (hair cortisol levels) are related to type of delivery (eutocic or instrumental delivery; spontaneous or induced labor). DESIGN: This was a longitudinal study. SETTING: Spain. PARTICIPANTS: A total sample of 88 pregnant women. MEASUREMENT AND FINDINGS: Perceived stress, pregnancy-specific stress, psychopathology symptoms and hair cortisol level were assessed in pregnant women throughout the third trimester of pregnancy until they gave birth. Participants were grouped by type of delivery (eutocic or instrumental delivery; spontaneous or induced labor). ANOVA tests were performed in order to determine differences between groups. We found differences between the eutocic and instrumental delivery groups in the SCL-90-R subscales somatisation (t = 6.98; p = 0.01), anxiety (t = 3.42; p < 0.05), depression (t = 5.20; p < 0.02) and psychoticism (t = 5.28; p < 0.01), and in the general indices global severity index (t = 5.57; p < 0.05) and positive symptoms (t = 5.21; p < 0.01). No differences were found between groups for the other variables. KEY CONCLUSIONS: Maternal psychological status could have an impact on delivery, since women who had an instrumental delivery presented more psychopathology symptoms in the third trimester. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: The psychological assessment and treatment of pregnant women could play a key role in enhancing maternal mental health and preventing the processes and outcomes associated with poor psychological status.