Association between emotional symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and the risk of developing depressive symptoms in the postpartum period

Abstract

This study verified a possible association between emotional status in the pre-menstrual period (emotional PMS) and the risk of postnatal depression. Were included 94 women in the immediate postpartum period at the Maternity Hospital of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Hospital das Clinicas from July 2011 to August 2012. Questionnaires were used to assess pre-menstrual symptoms and to determine the Edinburgh Scale for the risk of developing postnatal depression. Reports of three or more emotional symptoms in the premenstrual period and a score of 12 or more in the Edinburgh Scale were correlated using chi-square test, with a p<0.05 considered for relevance. The Relative Risk (RR) for an association between emotional PMS and a higher risk of postnatal depression was calculated and considered significant. Emotional changes were associated to a 3.78 RR of emotional PMS and increased risk to develop postnatal depression. It is possible that both situations have pathophysiologic similarities in the release of neurotransmitters particularly affected by hormonal changes that happen in both the moments. A well-defined emotional PMS predisposes to increased risk of puerperal depression.