Retrospective observation of mental disorders during postpartum period: Results from the Singapore mental health study.

Vathsala Sagayadevan,Edimansyah Abdin,Mythily Subramaniam,Siow Ann Chong,Siau Pheng Lee,Helen Chen,Janhavi Vaingankar

doi:10.1186/s12905-015-0279-x

Abstract

BackgroundThe perinatal period has been identified as a period of vulnerability for various disorders (particularly anxiety and depressive disorders), which have been associated with negative outcomes for both mother and infant. The current study utilized data from the Singapore Mental Health Study (SMHS) to examine the temporal relationship between mental disorders and the perinatal period, as well as associated risk factors.MethodsLife table estimation method was used to derive the estimated hazard rate for any mood or anxiety disorders following pregnancy. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between socio-demographic factors and onset of mental disorders after the first pregnancy.ResultsAmong women with children (n = 2278), 1.5 % were found to have an onset of any mental disorder (i.e., mood disorders, anxiety disorders, alcohol use disorders), within 2 years after pregnancy. A peak in hazard rate was noted at approximately 1 year following pregnancy for anxiety disorders but not mood disorders. Women who were married, employed and physically healthy were less likely to have had developed any mental disorder.ConclusionsThe prevalence of mental disorders during pregnancy and postpartum was found to be low among women with children in our community sample, with increased vulnerability following delivery. The results offer some insight into the occurrence of mental disorders during the perinatal period among women in Singapore.

Highlights

IntroductionThe perinatal period has been identified as a period of vulnerability for various disorders ( anxiety and depressive disorders), which have been associated with negative outcomes for both mother and infant
The perinatal period has been identified as a period of vulnerability for various disorders, which have been associated with negative outcomes for both mother and infant
In a multicenter prospective study among Japanese women for instance, Kitamura et al [14] found antenatal depression to be a significant risk factor for postnatal depression. This finding was replicated by Leung et al [15] among postpartum women in Hong Kong whereby antenatal depression significantly predicted an approximate 28 % of the variance in postpartum depression. Research has alluded this to women with antenatal depression being more prone to experiencing a difficult labor and distress about the birth which in turn increases the likelihood of postpartum depression [16]

Summary

Introduction

The perinatal period has been identified as a period of vulnerability for various disorders ( anxiety and depressive disorders), which have been associated with negative outcomes for both mother and infant. A systematic review by Fisher et al (2012) for instance, found the prevalence of pre- and post-natal disorders in low income countries to be 15.6 and 19.8 % respectively [4]; whereas, Gavin et al (2005) reported the estimated prevalence of perinatal depression to range between 6.5 and 12.9 %, Several risk factors have been suggested for psychiatric conditions during pregnancy and the postpartum period These include - but are not limited to - lower socio-economic status, lower educational level, younger age, not being married, lack of support and empathy from partner, domestic violence, and previous psychiatric history [2, 4, 6,7,8,9,10,11,12]. Research has alluded this to women with antenatal depression being more prone to experiencing a difficult labor and distress about the birth which in turn increases the likelihood of postpartum depression [16]

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion