Relationship Between Maternal Sleep and Mental Health During Late Pregnancy and Infant Sleep Development and Crying

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K19636
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 58070:Lifelong developmental nursing-related
• Research Institution: Akita University
• Principal Investigator: Kumagai Mayuko (小西真愉子) 秋田大学, 医学系研究科, 助教 (20816251)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 母親の睡眠 / 母親の精神健康状態 / 乳児の睡眠 / 乳児の泣き

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim was to elucidate the relationship between maternal sleep and mental health status during late pregnancy and the sleep development and crying of infants aged 2 to 4 months. It was found that 27% of infants achieved sustained nighttime sleep (STN) by 4 months of age, with a rapid establishment of nighttime sleep observed in STN infants between 2 to 3 months of age. The GHQ-28 scores of mothers with STN infants significantly decreased over the first 3 months postpartum and were significantly lower during late pregnancy compared to mothers of non-STN infants. Random forest analysis identified that prenatal and postnatal GHQ-28 scores were significant explanatory variables for STN infants, indicating that maternal mental health during the prenatal and postnatal periods was associated with the attainment of STN in infants. These findings suggest that maintaining good mental health in mothers during pregnancy may contribute to the early acquisition of STN in their infants.

Free Research Field

母性看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果の学術的意義は、乳児の夜間睡眠は生後2か月から4か月にかけて定着していき、その変化はSTN児の方がより大きく、生後2か月から3か月にかけて急速に進んでいたこと、生後早期の乳児のSTN獲得と母親の精神健康状態には双方向の関係があり、生後早期のSTNの獲得は、母親の精神健康状態の改善に貢献することを明らかにしたこと、精神的に健康な母親から生まれた乳児は、STNを早期に獲得する可能性を示したことである。この知見は、産後の母親のメンタルヘルス支援や、産前のケアを通じて乳児のSTN獲得を促進できる新しい育児支援の開発につながると考えられる。