Postpartum Depression in North Indian Women: Prevalence and Risk Factors

Abstract

Affective disorders occur commonly in postpartum period, ranging in severity from mild and transient “baby blues” experienced by 50–80 % of women to postpartum psychosis which affects <1 % of women [1]. Postpartum major depression lies along this spectrum of postnatal mood disorder. The debilitating effects of postpartum depression (PPD) can involve an entire family [2], and women afflicted with PPD are at high risk for recurrent depression [3]. Majority of them exhibit symptoms by 6 week postpartum and if not treated, many women continue to be depressed at the end of the first postpartum year [1]. Despite its serious consequences and amenity to treatment, PPD often remains unrecognized. Numerous studies carried out in developed countries provide compelling evidence that postnatal depression is associated with long term emotional, cognitive, and intellectual problems in children [4]. There is some evidence that poor maternal mental health may also be associated with malnutrition and poor physical health in infants in developing countries [5]. Possible higher prevalence of PPD in mothers of female child could mean that a cycle of poor psychological and physical health in many females is perpetuated from birth, contributing to poor health of future generations. PPD is therefore likely to have important public health consequences in the developing world. Thus, PPD is of particular relevance in health planning, from the viewpoint of maternal and child health. It is also predicted that non-communicable diseases including mental disorders in developing countries would increase many folds in 2020 [6], but lack of research on psychological morbidity, particularly puerperal psychosis and depression, would remain a challenge for assessing the global burden of disease [7]. Few studies related to postnatal depression are reported from South Asia including India [8–12], but information from northern India is lacking. This study intends to add to the existing knowledge about PPD and associated risk factors in northern India.