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In vulnerable individuals, postpartum depression may be triggered by the disruption of neuropsychological processes during pregnancy and parturition. It is proposed that in Western societies pre- and postnatal psychological and instrumental needs are poorly met and this crisis may interact with neurophysiological factors in compromising maternal psychological functioning. The influence of developmental factors and psychological and physical stressors are discussed in relation to women’s neuropsychological health during the peripartal transition. It is hypothesized that the environmental milieu may support, neglect or derail the mother’s psychobiological transition from pregnancy to effective postnatal parenting and resumption of family and work roles.

This study examined prior use and psychosocial factors associated with alcohol and/or drug use in pregnant women from a predominantly Caucasian, rural clinic in northeastern Maine.We conducted archival record reviews of 217 pregnant women who delivered at the Family Practice Clinic of Eastern Maine Medical Center As part of the standard initial prenatal visit during thefirst trimester, a nurse practitioner interviewed and collected data from pregnant women concerning pre-pregnancy and current-pregnancy use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Data were available for 212 subjects.The reported prevalence of pre-pregnancy alcohol abuse in this sample was 25%. Women in this cohort reported a significant decrease in tobacco and alcohol use following pregnancy awareness. However, pre-pregnancy alcohol intake levels and years of alcohol use were associated with alcohol intake during pregnancy. Other markers of maternal alcohol intake during pregnancy included tobacco use patterns and history of drug use. Family history of alcohol problems and drug use were associated with maternal substance use history and use by the father of the baby. Levels of maternal alcohol use during the current pregnancy were negatively associated with an alcohol problem in the father of the baby.Alcohol and other substance use were relatively common in our sample of rural Caucasian women in Maine. Several risk factors can be identified, and awareness of these risk factors may assist physicians in the diagnosis of substance abuse among pregnant women.

Study objective Temperament was explored as a factor in both night-waking and bedsharing in preschool-aged children. Design Bedsharers and solitary sleepers were categorized based on the frequency of current bedsharing. MANOVA was used to examine associations among temperament and sleep measures. Setting Two preschools affiliated with a rural university in the Northeast United States. Participants. 67 children between 2.4-5.6 years of age from two University-affiliated preschools were studied. Intervention Child temperament was rated by parents and teachers using the Carey Temperament Scale and compared to night-waking, current sleep habits, and the circumstances in which bedsharing occurred Measurements and results Parents and preschool teachers completed the Carey Temperament Scale for 3-7 year olds. Parents also scored the Sleep Habits Inventory and the Sleeping Arrangements Inventory, which provided a current and retrospective history of the child's sleep location and sleep patterns. Parents' ratings showed that bedsharers have less regular bedtimes; difficulty with sleep onset; more night-waking; and seek out the parents following awakening during the night. Temperamentally, bedsharers were found to be more intense and exhibit less adaptability and rhythmicity. However, teachers' temperament ratings did not predict bedsharing and were not concordant with parental ratings. Conclusions These findings suggest that bedsharing at preschool age is a complex phenomenon related to parents' ratings of child temperament, sleep habits, and disturbances such as night waking. Implications for the clinical assessment of sleep disorders are discussed.

In vulnerable individuals, postpartum depression may be triggered by the disruption of neuropsychological processes during pregnancy and parturition. It is proposed that in Western societies pre- and postnatal psychological and instrumental needs are poorly met and this crisis may interact with neurophysiological factors in compromising maternal psychological functioning. The influence of developmental factors and psychological and physical stressors are discussed in relation to women's neuropsychological health during the peripartal transition. It is hypothesized that the environmental milieu may support, neglect or derail the mother's psychobiological transition from pregnancy to effective postnatal parenting and resumption of family and work roles.