Psychosocial and Obstetric Predictors of Depressive Symptomatology at Postpartum 4 Weeks

Kim, Jae Won; Kim, Jeong Hwa; Eun, Dae Sook; Kim, Heon

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the psychosocial and obstetric predictors of depressive symptomatology at postpartum 4 weeks in Korea.
METHODS
At their 1-week and 4-week postpartum visits, 61 postpartum women completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Data related to the psychiatric and obstetric characteristics, pregnancy and delivery related events were collected from the standardized medical records. 42 women with no history of pregnancy or delivery within the previous 6 months were selected as the control group. The postpartum group was divided into the depressive and non-depressive subgroups, according to their EPDS and BDI results at postpartum 4 weeks.
RESULTS
Compared to the control group, the mean score of the BDI at postpartum 4 weeks was significantly higher in the postpartum group. The percentages of women having experienced severe emotional stress during pregnancy and of smokers and drinkers before pregnancy were significantly higher in the postpartum depressive subgroup (EPDS >or=10 and BDI >or=10) when compared to the postpartum non-depressive subgroup. The percentage of women having experienced depressive symptoms at postpartum 1 week was also significantly higher in the depressive subgroup. A depressive symptomatology at postpartum 1 week was identified as a significant risk factor for depressive symptoms at postpartum 4 weeks.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study suggest that screening for depressive symptomatology in the immediate postpartum period might provide an effective means of detecting women at risk of developing postpartum depression in Korea. The finding that severe emotional stress experienced during pregnancy is associated with the development of postpartum depressive symptoms confirms the results of previous studies.