Citation

Valentine JM, Rodriguez MA, Lapeyrouse LM, Zhang M. Arch. Women Ment. Health 2011; 14(2): 135-143.

Affiliation

Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, Center for Health Services and Society, University of California-Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA , 90024, USA, jvalentine@pathwaysla.org.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00737-010-0191-1

PMID

21052749

PMCID

PMC3081057

Abstract

The study aims to determine if recent intimate partner violence (IPV) is a prenatal risk factor for postpartum depression (PPD) among pregnant Latinas seeking prenatal care. A prospective observational study followed Latinas from pregnancy through 13 months postpartum. Prenatal predictors of PPD included depression, recent IPV exposure, remote IPV exposure, non-IPV trauma history, poverty, low social support, acculturation, high parity, and low education. Postpartum depression was measured at 3, 7, and 13 months after birth with the Beck's Depression Inventory-Fast Screen. Strength of association was evaluated using bivariate and multivariable odds ratio analysis. Subjects were predominantly low income, monolingual Spanish, and foreign-born, with mean age of 27.7. Recent IPV, prenatal depression, non-IPV trauma, and low social support were associated with greater likelihood of PPD in bivariate analyses. Recent IPV and prenatal depression continued to show significant association with PPD in multivariate analyses, with greater odds of PPD associated with recent IPV than with prenatal depression (adjusted OR = 5.38, p < 0.0001 for recent IPV and adjusted OR = 3.48, p< 0.0001 for prenatal depression). Recent IPV exposure is a strong, independent prenatal predictor of PPD among Latinas. Screening and referral for both IPV and PPD during pregnancy may help reduce postpartum mental health morbidity among Latinas.

Language: en