Risk of Postpartum Depression Among Women with Asthma

Abstract

Several epidemiological studies have suggested that the risk of depression is increased in patients with asthma, but the impact of asthma during pregnancy on postpartum depression remains unknown. To assess the association between maternal asthma and postpartum depression in a population-based cohort study retrieved from administrative databases. A cohort of 35,520 pregnancies in women with asthma during pregnancy and 197,057 pregnancies in women without asthma who delivered between 1998 and 2009 was extracted from the Quebec Asthma and Pregnancy Database. They were followed from the day of delivery up to 1 year postpartum. A generalized estimating equation model was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios of postpartum depression with 95% CIs in women with asthma during pregnancy versus women without asthma. Postpartum depression within 1 year after delivery occurred in 6.1% of women with asthma versus 2.9% of women without asthma. After adjusting for several potential confounders, including depression/postpartum depression up to 10 years before pregnancy, we found that women with asthma were 58% more likely to experience postpartum depression within 1 year after delivery than women without asthma during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.50-1.67). Our findings suggest that women with asthma are more likely to suffer from postpartum depression. A close monitoring of signs of depression for pregnant women with asthma is indicated, allowing prompt and efficient interventions if needed.