Specific to pregnancy, these findings are consistent with earlier work linking childbirth - associated pain and catastrophizing with subsequent depressive symptoms.22 — 24 The association between pain and depression is complex and may be mediated, in part, by differences in central nociception pathways. (journals.lww.com)
Such differences have been identified in functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of patients with fibromyalgia.25 If severe early breastfeeding - associated pain reflects pain catastrophizing, then aberrations in central nociception pathways may lead to both curtailed breastfeeding and perinatal depression. (journals.lww.com)
This model for acute pain is called nociception. (drhipandknee.com)