Psychosocial Stressors and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms Are Linked to Postpartum Contraceptive Use

Background: Postpartum contraception plays a critical role in reducing the occurrence of rapid subsequent pregnancy, offering individuals reproductive choice, and promoting overall reproductive planning and well-being. In this study, we investigated the relationship between psychosocial stress during pregnancy, postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS), and postpartum contraceptive use.Materials and Methods: We analyzed data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (2012-2019), which included comprehensive information about maternal experiences, views, and needs before, during, and after pregnancy from four states and a large city, with a total sample size of N = 36,356. We conducted descriptive analyses as well as adjusted multivariable logistic regression models.Main Findings: Our findings demonstrate significant negative associations between partner-related (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.82, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.76-0.89, p <= 0.001) and trauma-related (aOR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.75-0.92, p <= 0.001) stressors and postpartum contraceptive use. Additionally, we observed a negative association between PDS and postpartum contraceptive use (OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.80-0.97, p <= 0.01), indicating that individuals experiencing PDS are less likely to utilize contraception after giving birth. Furthermore, our study highlights racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, and parity postpartum contraceptive use disparities.Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the importance of incorporating psychosocial stressors and mental health into the promotion of effective postpartum contraception practices. These results have valuable implications for health care providers, policymakers, and researchers as they can guide the development of targeted interventions and support systems to contribute to improved reproductive health outcomes.