Citation

Ho-Yen SD, Bondevik GT, Eberhard-Gran M, Bjorvatn B. Acta Obstet. Gynecol. Scand. 2007; 86(3): 291-297.

Affiliation

Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, Section for General Practice, University of Bergen, and Division of Psychiatry, Stavanger University Hospital, Norway. sdhy@sus.no

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1080/00016340601110812

PMID

17364302

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Depression after childbirth affects both the mother and her infant. In South-Asia, maternal depression might also contribute to poor infant growth. Knowledge of risk factors could improve the health workers' recognition of depression. AIM: To examine possible risk factors for depression in the postnatal period among women in one clinical, one urban and one rural population in Lalitpur district, Nepal. METHOD: A total of 426 postnatal women were included in a cross-sectional structured interview study, 5-10 weeks after delivery. Depressive symptoms were measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS]. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed that depression (EPDS>12) was strongly associated with husband's alcoholism, polygamy and previous depression. Other significant factors were stressful life events, multiparity, smoking and depression during pregnancy. There was a non-significant trend of lower depressive scores among women living in arranged marriages, and among women practicing the tradition of staying in their maternal home after delivery. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to previously documented risk factors, traditional family structures may influence the risk of depression among postnatal women in Nepal.

Language: en