Abstract
Postpartum depression (PPD) affects 13% of mothers and can have a major impact on their lives and those of their children. However, most cases go undiagnosed, and the risk factors for this underdiagnosis are not yet fully known. We intended to analyze the influence of different sociodemographic and health factors associated with symptoms of postpartum depression. Data from the New York City Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) for 2016–2017 were analyzed. 618 women met the inclusion criterion of recurring depressive symptoms. Most women who experienced PPD symptoms did not seek help. Seeking help was a much better predictor of the diagnosis of PPD when compared to questions regarding symptoms. The most important factors related to a decreased risk of not asking for help were having a previous mental health history and having doctor visits for a chronic illness. The racial group most at risk of not asking for help were Asian/Pacific Islander (API) women. Interventions aimed at reducing the stigma and increasing knowledge of PPD should be incorporated into the antenatal education of expectant mothers, particularly among women who may not have previously sought care for mental or chronic illnesses.
Highlights
Childbirth and the puerperium are periods of extraordinary neuroendocrine and psychosocial changes for women, which predispose them to the appearance of various conditions
This study has found that, in the case of postpartum depression (PPD) and unlike other diseases, the main factor to improve diagnosis likely resides in increasing the demand for healthcare services among women with symptoms, that is, in reducing the social stigma of mental illness
We found that there are vulnerable sub-populations, such as Asian/Pacific Islander (API) mothers, those with intended pregnancies, or women with no previous contact with mental health services, who are at an increased risk of not seeking care
Summary
Childbirth and the puerperium are periods of extraordinary neuroendocrine and psychosocial changes for women, which predispose them to the appearance of various conditions. Postpartum depression (PPD) is perhaps one of the most tragic, both in terms of its prevalence and the impact it can have. The World Health Organization reports around 13% of women who have given birth suffer from it, with the prevalence closer to 20% in developing countries [1,2]. It is essential that we do not mistake postpartum depression for the so-called postpartum blues or maternity blues, which occurs in 70–80% of postpartum women a few days after childbirth. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 9328; doi:10.3390/ijerph17249328 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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