Background: Postpartum period starts about an hour after the delivery of the placenta and followed until 6 weeks. The hormonal changes that take place during this period lead to depression, one of the silent contributors of poor maternal and child health indices in developing countries leading to increased morbidity among women. In India, postpartum depression (PPD) reports approximately 23% of women in hospital-based data and prevalence varies from 11% to 26% in community-based studies.
Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and factors leading to PPD among women residing in urban slums.
Materials and Methods: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted for 1 year consisting of postpartum women (26 weeks) of any age group in urban slums, Dharwad. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale was used to estimate the prevalence of PPD.
Results: Of the 284 women, 45.8% were in the age group of 2125 years, 38.4% had completed secondary education, and most of them 84.9% were housewives. 35% of women were from nuclear family and 53.2% belonged to the upper middle class. Using PHQ-9 scale, it was seen that 7.7% had minor depression and 0.4% had major depression. Increasing age (χ²−25.97, P = 0.001), unplanned pregnancy (χ²−13.51, P = 0.009), those who had pre- and post-term delivery (χ²−13.83, P = 0.008), and those who delivery through cesarean section (χ²−35.84, P < 0.0001) were found to be associated with PPD and the association was found to be statistically significant.
Conclusion: Equal importance should be given for both physical and mental health of postpartum women for a healthy mother and child.
Key words: Postpartum Depression; Postnatal Depression; Unplanned Pregnancy; Patient Health Questionnaire-9; Cesarean Section
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