Postpartum Depression: its Relationship to Childbirth and Child Health at Ramathibodi Hospital

Abstract

Abstract
Objective: To examine the prevalence of postpartum depression and its relationship to childbirth and child health at 6 weeks after labor.
Methods: Two hundred women who gave birth at and returned to receive 6 weeks after labor care at Ramathibodi hospital were recruited in a cross-sectional study. Demographic, obstetric,
childbirth and child health factors were examined. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) Thai version with the cut-point of 12/13 was used to identify cases of postpartum depression.
Results: The prevalence of postpartum depression according to the EPDS Thai version at 6 weeks was 25%. Univariate analyses revealed four factors significantly associated with postpartum depression: living with husband (p=0.03), history of depression after/during pregnancy (p=0.01), anxiety about the baby (p=0.01) and low birth weight infants (below 2,500 gm) (p=0.01). Further analysis with multiple logistic regression showed that only two
factors remained significantly associated with postpartum depression, i.e. history of depression after/during pregnancy (p=0.04) and low birth weight infants (p=0.04).
Conclusions: The prevalence rate of postpartum depression at Ramathibodi hospital is higher than those found in western countries. Significant predicting factors for postpartum depression were history of depression and low birth weight infants.