Islam, Md Jahirul, et al. “Early Exclusive Breastfeeding Cessation and Postpartum Depression: Assessing the Mediating and Moderating Role of Maternal Stress and Social Support.” PloS One, vol. 16, no. 5, 2021.
The primary goal of the research conducted by Islam et al. was to analyze the correlation between exclusive breastfeeding and the risk of postpartum depression among new mothers. The findings demonstrate that women who needed to stop exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months after birth showed a considerably higher risk of developing postpartum depression, creating a strong relationship between maternal stress associated with breastfeeding interruptions and mental health issues among new mothers (Islam et al.). The strengths of this paper include a large and diverse sample of participants as well as the novelty of research in the East Asian region. The limitation of the study addresses the fact that it disregards other public issues that may contribute to postpartum depression development, focusing solely on the correlation between two variables. Self-reporting as a major data collection tool may present bias in terms of giving reliable information.
The target audience for the source includes medical practitioners, social workers, and young mothers, as the article presents information in a generalized way without using complex medical terminology in conclusion. As far as nurses are concerned, the study shows valuable insights into the possible postpartum depression risk factors, encouraging nursing professionals to develop timely and meaningful interventions for women experiencing issues with exclusive breastfeeding and poor social support. Although not created for nurses specifically, this scholarly evidence should be considered an asset for evidence-based practice. Although the study is conducted in the East Asian region, the findings do not contain culturally sensitive data. It can be used both as to quality evidence on the matter and as a foundation for similar research among US new mothers. Hence, this article is an example of relevant and valuable scientific literature.