International Journal of Clinical Case Reports, 2025, Vol.15, No.4, 182-189 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/ijccr 182 Meta Analysis Open Access A Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Rooming-In Care Model on Postpartum Depression Symptoms in Mothers Xiaopen Liu, Jie Zhang Institute of Life Science, Jiyang College of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, Zhengjiang, China Corresponding author: jie.zhang@jicat.org International Journal of Clinical Case Reports 2025, Vol.15, No.4 doi: 10.5376/ijccr.2025.15.0019 Received: 16 Jun., 2025 Accepted: 23 Jul., 2025 Published: 10 Aug., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Liu and Zhang, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Liu X.P., and Zhang J., 2025, A meta-analysis of the impact of rooming-in care model on postpartum depression symptoms in mothers, International Journal of Clinical Case Reports, 15(4): 182-189 (doi: 10.5376/ijccr.2025.15.0019) Abstract This article explores the impact of the infan-in-room care model on the symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD), compares infan-in-room care with conventional care, and uses standard tools such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to evaluate the results. Sharing a room with an infant can be of certain help in alleviating depressive symptoms, especially for some high-risk mothers (such as those with unstable emotional attachment). The benefits of this model include enhancing the emotional bond between mother and baby, increasing the rate of breastfeeding, and providing support in care. However, due to differences in research design, population and intervention details, the results vary. Sharing a room with infants may have a preventive effect on PPD for certain groups and be beneficial to the mental health of mothers. Larger-scale studies with unified standards are still needed to further verify its effect. Keywords Postpartum depression; Rooming-in; Maternal-infant bonding; EPDS; Breastfeeding 1 Introduction Postpartum depression is a common problem after childbirth, affecting approximately 11.7% of mothers, which has adverse effects on both the physical and mental health of mothers and the growth of infants (Patibandla and Haile, 2025). Risk factors for postpartum depression include insecure emotional attachment, depression during pregnancy, feeding methods, and dissatisfaction with the gender of the infant, etc. (Lichter et al., 2020; Hu et al., 2025). This situation can affect the emotional bond between mother and baby, hinder the behavior of caring for infants, and may have short-term and long-term negative impacts on mothers and children (Lai et al., 2015; Kawashima et al., 2022). Infan-in-room care refers to the situation where the mother and the infant are together 24 hours a day during hospitalization. The purpose of this is to promote breastfeeding, strengthen the mother-infant relationship, and support early care behaviors. This approach has been widely used in many "baby-friendly hospitals" and has been regarded as the standard care model in many cases, whether it is natural delivery or cesarean section. However, the impact of this care approach on the mother's fatigue, sleep and mental state, especially postpartum depression, is rather complex. Although room-sharing with infants is beneficial for the establishment of mother-infant affection and breastfeeding, it may also make mothers more tired, especially after cesarean section, thereby affecting mental health (Lai et al., 2015; Kawashima et al., 2022). This study will explore the relationship between rooming-in with infants and postpartum depression. Existing research shows that the results vary. Some indicate that it can reduce the risk of depression, while others have found that in some people, the symptoms may even worsen. This study aims to further understand whether rooming-in for infants is beneficial to all mothers or whether it depends on different circumstances, such as the mother's personal characteristics, mode of delivery, and whether there is care support, etc. Mastering this information is of great significance for improving postpartum care methods, alleviating the impact of postpartum depression, and enhancing the health levels of both mothers and infants.
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