Oxytocin Levels on Mental Health of Postpartum Mothers

• Published in: African Journal of Biological Sciences (South Africa)
• Main Author: Laili U.; Hatmanti N.M.; Andini A.; Majid N.; Sham F.; Mulud Z.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: African Science Publications 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85195520322&doi=10.33472%2fAFJBS.6.Si2.2024.724-729&partnerID=40&md5=21d120c5468f09f21d1cf8a73428044b

Background: Postpartum depression is a significant mental health concern, especially for women in vulnerable populations. Mothers with mood or anxiety disorders exhibit less optimal interactive behavior. Oxytocin, a hormone essential for a variety of maternal tasks, including labor, lactation, and infant bonding, has also been hypothesized to have a role in postpartum depression. The neuropeptide oxytocin has been linked to more optimal interactive behaviors in mothers without mental illness, and it may play a particularly beneficial role in mothers with mood or anxiety disorders given its antidepressant and anxiolytic functions. Purpose: This study aims to determine the levels of the hormone oxytocin in postpartum mothers on day 1 and on day 3 postpartum and to analyze the mental health of the postpartum mother. Methods: The method in this study was a correlation study, namely to determine the correlation between the level of the hormone oxytocin on day 1 and day 3 of the puerperium on the mental health of postpartum mothers. The variable in this study was the oxytocin hormone in postpartum women which was measured on day 1 and day 3 of the puerperium. Measurements were made using the ELIZA method. While the dependent variable in this study was the mental health of postpartum mothers as measured using the Edinburgh postnatal Depression scale (EPDS) in the form of a questionnaire. Respondents in this study were postpartum mothers who had delivered by caesarean section on day 3 and had no health complications during the puerperium. Results: The results showed that there were differences in the levels of the hormone oxytocin on day 1 and day 3 with a significance value of 0.005. whereas for the mental health of the mother on days 1 and 3 there was no significant difference with a significance value of 0.775. Conclusion: there were differences in the results of measuring oxytocin levels in postpartum mothers on day 1 and day 3, while the EPDS score did not show a significant difference on day 1 and day 3. The results of the analysis showed a significant relationship between oxytocin levels and EPDS score on day 1, and there was no significant relationship between oxytocin levels and the EPDS score on day 3. © 2024 African Science Publications. All rights reserved.