Partner support and postpartum depressive symptoms

Abstract

Background: One out of eight women suffers an episode of depression following delivery. We explored the role of expectations of partner support in postpartum depressive symptoms in new mothers attending a regional public hospital in Italy.

Methods: Seventy women participated in a two-stage (third trimester and 3 months postpartum) prospective study using self-report measures. At stage 1, they completed the Support Expectations Index to measure expectations for partner support and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale to measure conflicts in marital relationship, whereas socio-demographic (i.e. maternal age and education level) and clinical variables (i.e. previous miscarriages and depression episodes) were collected from medical reports. Depressive symptoms were evaluated at stage 2 with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale using a cut-off >9 and confirmation of marital support expectations was measured with the Expectancy Confirmation Scale. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to examine predictors of depressive symptoms at 3 months postpartum.

Results and discussion: As many as 55.7% (n = 39) of new mothers presented postpartum depressive symptoms, which were predicted by low expectancy confirmation concerning partner support [odds ratio (OR) 3.02; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25–8.10]. Therefore, clinicians should consider the possible role of partner support when treating women with postnatal depressive symptoms.

Keywords::

• Edinburgh Depression Scale
• expectations
• marital support
• postnatal depression
• postpartum

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to all women who participated in the study and they also equally thank the doctors, nurses and students for their collaboration.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Current knowledge on this subject

• Postnatal depression (PND) is one of the most serious complications following delivery today.

• Screening for postpartum depression is a public health necessity because the disorder has a negative impact on the entire family and is under-detected.

• Predictors of PND include socio-demographic and clinical variables, but the role of the partner support is under-investigated.

What this study adds

• Logistic regression analysis showed a statistical link between violated expectations for support from the partner and subsequent postnatal depression (PND) diagnosis at 3 months postpartum.

• Demographic and clinical factors were not predictive of PND.

• Health care workers need to pay particular attention to expectations of partner support in the new mothers in order to prevent PND.