UPM Institutional Repository

Stability of depressive symptoms over 3 months post-partum


Citation

Abdollahi, Fatemeh and Zarghami, Mehran and Shariff Ghazali, Sazlina and Lye, Munn Sann (2015) Stability of depressive symptoms over 3 months post-partum. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 11. pp. 57-62. ISSN 1751-7885; ESSN: 1751-7893

Abstract

Aim: Prolonged depression during the post-partum period is associated with maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. Less attention has been given to factors that predict the persistence of depression beyond the first 3 months post-partum. Methods: From a longitudinal cohortof 2279 women who attended Mazandaran’s primary health centres in 2009, 478 women with an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score of 12 or greater in the third trimester of pregnancy were recruited. Persistently depressed women (depressed at all three occasions: during pregnancy, and at 2 and 12 weeks post-partum) were compared with those without depression to determine demographic, cultural, obstetric and biopsychosocial predictors for persistence of depression. Data were analysed using chi-square test, t-test and logistic regression models. Results: The stability of depression was found in 193 (46.2 %) of 418 depressed cases who were followed up over the study period. Of those mothers who scored more than the threshold of 12 during the third trimester of pregnancy, 277 (66.3%) and 221 (52.9%) had high EPDS at 2 and 12 weeks post-partum. Psychological distress (based upon the General Health Questionnaire), low maternal parental self-efficacy (based upon the Parental Expectation Survey) and perceived social isolation (based upon the Network Orientation Scale) were independent predictors of persistent depression. Conclusion: Fewer depressed mothers in this study were found to recover during the first 3 months after giving birth. Psychosocial factors predicted sustained depression from pregnancy to 3 months post-partum. The findings highlight the significance of support in enhancing maternal mental health.


Download File

[img]
Preview
Text (Abstract)
Stability of depressive symptoms over 3 months post-partum.pdf

Download (108kB) | Preview

Additional Metadata

Item Type: Article
Divisions: Faculty of Medicine and Health Science
DOI Number: https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.12215
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing
Keywords: Depression; Post-partum; Risk factor; Stability
Depositing User: Ms. Nida Hidayati Ghazali
Date Deposited: 02 Mar 2018 01:57
Last Modified: 02 Mar 2018 01:57
Altmetrics: http://www.altmetric.com/details.php?domain=psasir.upm.edu.my&doi=10.1111/eip.12215
URI: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/46373
Statistic Details: View Download Statistic

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item