Person-environment interactions shape maternal perceptions of stress and coping during pregnancy and postpartum: a qualitative analysis.
11 affiliations
- 1School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. [email protected].
- 2Department of Physiological Nursing, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, USA. [email protected].
- 3College of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- 4School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- 5Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- 6College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- 7School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- 8Department of Women's Health, Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- 9Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. [email protected].
- 10Department of Women's Health, Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. [email protected].
- 11Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
Maternal stress during pregnancy and postpartum is consistently associated with increased risk for maternal, obstetric, and offspring health complications, highlighting its transdiagnostic relevance for maternal and child health. While stress associated with major life events and trauma (e.g., intimate partner violence) is well-studied, comparatively far less attention has been paid to understanding how routine perinatal demands are experienced within the contextual realities of pregnancy and postpartum and how these experiences shape maternal perceptions of stress and coping across these two distinct yet interrelated periods.Methods
Data were obtained from a subset of participants (n = 17) enrolled in a larger prospective cohort study. Semi-structured interviews during pregnancy (n = 10) and postpartum (n = 15) were conducted remotely (i.e., Zoom, phone). Interviews were independently analyzed using inductive thematic analysis, respective to each perinatal period.Results
Resource accessibility emerged as an overarching theme, with five core themes acting as barriers or facilitators to mental well-being. Three resources-social support, logistics, and physical health-were considered influential across both perinatal periods, to varying degrees. When resources were inaccessible during pregnancy, they became barriers to mental well-being, contributing to experiences of loneliness, frustration, worry, an increased mental load, and ultimately, increases in perceived stress. These experiences often intensified postpartum due to unmet expectations of having a higher level of support to manage increases in logistical demands (e.g., domestic labor, caregiving) while simultaneously navigating postpartum recovery and workforce participation. Conversely, with higher resource access, mother's perceived ability to cope with stress arising from routine perinatal demands, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other logistical responsibilities increased.Conclusions
Findings indicate routine perinatal demands are perceived to shape maternal experiences of stress and coping during pregnancy and postpartum, emphasizing the importance of resource accessibility and contextual determinants in shaping maternal well-being. Future research is needed to build on these findings and highlight the need for multilevel interventions to increase maternal support and resources to manage cumulative perinatal demands, which can ultimately improve health trajectories for women, children, and families.
Related
- Women’s experiences of physiotherapy for pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain in primary care: a qualitative study at four months postpartum
- A qualitative study to explore women’s perceptions of pregnancy and antenatal care in Chizenga village, Chikwawa, Malawi
- Perceptions and behaviours surrounding cannabis use during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and early parenting in Canada: a qualitative study.
- Predicting postpartum diastasis recti abdominis using early-pregnancy abdominal wall ultrasound radiomics
- Superficial Vein Thrombosis During Pregnancy and Postpartum—Findings From the French Multicenter Cohort “ HEMOTHEPP ” Study
BibTeX
@article{longoria2026personenvironment,
title = {{Person-environment interactions shape maternal perceptions of stress and coping during pregnancy and postpartum: a qualitative analysis.}},
author = {Kayla D Longoria and Tien C Nguyen and Sara Dube and Frances Cates and Oscar Y Franco-Rocha and Nicole Manley and Sreya Gandra and Michelle L Cassidy and Elizabeth M Widen},
journal = {BMC public health},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s12889-026-28601-9},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42928176},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Person-environment interactions shape maternal perceptions of stress and coping during pregnancy and postpartum: a qualitative analysis.
AU - Kayla D Longoria
AU - Tien C Nguyen
AU - Sara Dube
AU - Frances Cates
AU - Oscar Y Franco-Rocha
AU - Nicole Manley
AU - Sreya Gandra
AU - Michelle L Cassidy
AU - Elizabeth M Widen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/29
JO - BMC public health
DO - 10.1186/s12889-026-28601-9
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42928176
AB - Background Maternal stress during pregnancy and postpartum is consistently associated with increased risk for maternal, obstetric, and offspring health complications, highlighting its transdiagnostic relevance for maternal and child health. While stress associated with major life events and trauma (e.g., intimate partner violence) is well-studied, comparatively far less attention has been paid to understanding how routine perinatal demands are experienced within the contextual realities of pregnancy and postpartum and how these experiences shape maternal perceptions of stress and coping across these two distinct yet interrelated periods.Methods Data were obtained from a subset of participants (n = 17) enrolled in a larger prospective cohort study. Semi-structured interviews during pregnancy (n = 10) and postpartum (n = 15) were conducted remotely (i.e., Zoom, phone). Interviews were independently analyzed using inductive thematic analysis, respective to each perinatal period.Results Resource accessibility emerged as an overarching theme, with five core themes acting as barriers or facilitators to mental well-being. Three resources-social support, logistics, and physical health-were considered influential across both perinatal periods, to varying degrees. When resources were inaccessible during pregnancy, they became barriers to mental well-being, contributing to experiences of loneliness, frustration, worry, an increased mental load, and ultimately, increases in perceived stress. These experiences often intensified postpartum due to unmet expectations of having a higher level of support to manage increases in logistical demands (e.g., domestic labor, caregiving) while simultaneously navigating postpartum recovery and workforce participation. Conversely, with higher resource access, mother's perceived ability to cope with stress arising from routine perinatal demands, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other logistical responsibilities increased.Conclusions Findings indicate routine perinatal demands are perceived to shape maternal experiences of stress and coping during pregnancy and postpartum, emphasizing the importance of resource accessibility and contextual determinants in shaping maternal well-being. Future research is needed to build on these findings and highlight the need for multilevel interventions to increase maternal support and resources to manage cumulative perinatal demands, which can ultimately improve health trajectories for women, children, and families.
SN - 1471-2458
ER -