Depression and anxiety in the early postpartum period: A comparative study among parents of full-term and preterm infants in Vietnam

Background: Postpartum depression and anxiety impact both parental well-being and child health, with preterm infants being especially vulnerable. However, the link between maternal and paternal mental health remains underexplored. Aim: To examine depression and anxiety in mothers and fathers of full-term and preterm infants. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 336 mother-father-infant triads at a public hospital in Vietnam from December 2022 to April 2023. Parents of infants born before or after 37 weeks' gestation were recruited. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Zung's Self-Rated Anxiety Scale were used. Multilevel linear mixed-effects models were adopted. Findings: Among mothers, 42.4 % reported depressive symptoms compared to 29.4 % of fathers, and anxiety symptoms were also significantly prevalent in mothers (30.7 %) than in fathers (22.1 %) (p < 0.05). Moderate correlations were found between maternal and paternal symptoms (depression, r = 0.49; anxiety, r = 0.41). Parents of moderate or extremely/very preterm infants reported higher depression than those with late preterm or full-term infants, though anxiety differences were not significant. Being a mother (β = 1.09) and having an infant born at a lower gestational age (β = 0.69) were associated with greater depressive symptoms. In both parents, lower social support was associated with higher symptoms of depression (β = –1.38) and anxiety (β = –1.15). Conclusion: Mothers and fathers in Vietnam experienced substantial emotional distress. Early identification of depression and anxiety in parents of pre-term infants, particularly infants born earlier in gestation, is vital for maternity care professionals to promote family health.