Prevalence and Risk Factors of Depressive Symptoms in the Postpartum Period: A Cross-sectional Study
Ashwini Neelakanthi, Sreedhar Venkatesh, Deepika Babu, Sangandahalli Raghavendra Rao Nachiketha, Unmesh Gopalakrishnan
Abstract
Background and Aim: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a frequent psychiatric condition associated with pregnancy. The prevalence rate in India is estimated to be about 22%, with a significant regional variability. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of PPD and analyze the associated risk factors among mothers who delivered at a tertiary care hospital.
Materials and Methods: All mothers who delivered in our hospital between August 2019 and October 2019 were requested to participate in the study. The mothers who consented were screened for postpartum depressive symptoms (PDSs), between 4 and 6 weeks of the postpartum period, using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The EPDS questionnaire was administered telephonically.
Results: Among the 115 participating mothers, 36 (31.3%) were found to have PDSs as measured by a score ≥ 10 on EPDS. Young age, low socioeconomic status (SES), and pregnancy-induced complications appear to increase the risk of PDSs; however, only the factor young age showed a statistical significance for the association (aOR = 2.84; 95% CI: 1.20–6.75).
In the overall study population, delivering a female child was not associated with PDSs; however, an association was found between them in the low SES subgroup.
Conclusion: The prevalence of PDSs in the postpartum period is quite high—approximately one-third of the mothers screened had PDSs. Young age, low SES, and pregnancy-induced complications appeared to increase the odds of having PDSs. Mothers should be closely monitored and screened for PPD, as early diagnosis and management will help improve infant and maternal health.
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