Background: Postnatal depression is a focus of considerable research attention, but little is known about the pattern of stress across this period.

Objective: to investigate the prevalence of stress after childbirth for Jordanian women and identify associated risk factors.

Method:
Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Participants were recruited six to eight weeks postpartum, provided personal, social and obstetric information, and completed the stress subscale of Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-S), the Maternity Social Support Scale (MSSS), and Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale (PSES).

Setting: maternal and child health care clinics in four health care centres in Maan city in Southern Jordan.

Participants: Arabic speaking women (n = 324) between the ages of 18 and 45 years, six to eight weeks postpartum, primiparaous or multiparous at low risk for obstetric complications. Data collection was take place between October 2015 and January 2016. Ethical clearance was obtained prior to data collection.

Results: The prevalence of postpartum stress among Jordanian women was 39.8 %. A regression analysis revealed that occupation, low social support, financial problems, difficult marital relationships, difficult relationship with family in-law, giving birth to female baby, difficult childbirth, and low self-efficacy were associated with postpartum stress.

Conclusions and implications for practice: Jordanian women need support during pregnancy, during and after childbirth. postpartum emotional support and assessment of symptoms of stress needs to be incorporated into routine practice. The opportunity for open discussion along with increased awareness and clarification of common misconceptions about postpartum stress are necessary.

Biography:
Khitam Mohammad is associate professor of midwifery research and practice. She received her BSN degree in 1997 from Jordan University of Science and Technology, her first master degree was in Anthorpology in 2003 from Al-Yarmouk University in Jordan, her second master degree was in Midwifery in 2004 from Griffith University, and her PhD in Midwifery from Griffith University in 2008 Australia. Khitam is the second associate professor in midwifery at the faculty of nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology.