Employment and Family Dynamics Mitigate Maternal Anxiety in Multi-Child Households

Perinatal and postpartum mental health disorders represent a significant burden on global public health, affecting approximately 10% to 15% of women within the first year after delivery [1, 2]. While biological factors like hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation (a disruption in the body's primary stress response system) are known contributors, psychosocial stressors such as relationship quality, socioeconomic status, and multiparity (the condition of having given birth to two or more children) are equally critical determinants of maternal well-being [3, 4]. Chronic strain and severe life events often exacerbate depressive symptoms, potentially disrupting the mother-child relationship and long-term family stability [1, 5]. Despite the availability of various parenting interventions and digital health tools, identifying which specific populations are most vulnerable to the psychological demands of larger families remains a clinical challenge [6, 7]. A recent study of 47 respondents found that employment status (r=0.346, p=0.016) and parity (r=-0.410, p=0.004) significantly correlate with the likelihood of perinatal depression, suggesting that clinical screening should prioritize these demographic markers [1].