Childbirth and changes of women's social support network and mental health

A questionnaire surveys of women was conducted, 58 persons at one month, 73 at four month, and 42 at one year after childbirth, in order to investigate the relationship between social support and mental health. Main results concerning stress-buffering effects of social support were as follows. At one month after childbirth, marital intimacy showed stress-buffering effect. At four months, beneficial factors were; informational and emotional support and social companionship from family members other than husband or mother, and informational and emotional support from a friend who was the second closest. At one year were; instrumental, informational, and emotional support and social companionship from other person who was not among those already mentioned, and informational and emotional support and social companionship from still another who was the second important. These results suggested that social support network of women underwent successive changes after childbirth. In addition, a model of changing social support network was presented, and it suggested that changing support network so that one could obtain appropriate support was effective on stress buffer.