Prevalence of postpartum depression regarding mode of delivery: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD), as well as the relationship between delivery mode and postpartum depression among postnatal women utilizing the Arabic validated version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).

Materials and methods: 412 women with singleton gestation during their 3rd trimester without medical or psychological problems preceding or during pregnancy were included. All pregnant women were asked to fill out the Arabic version of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Only women with EPDS score <13 during pregnancy were allowed to complete the study. 370 women were asked to repeat the EPDS at 8 and 16 weeks postnatal. The patients were divided into three groups according to their delivery mode; normal vaginal delivery, emergency or elective caesarian section.

Results: Prevalence of postpartum depression was found to be significantly higher in emergency caesarian section group at the 8th and 16th postnatal weeks (25% and 19%, respectively) when compared to elective caesarian section group (21% and 13%, respectively) or normal vaginal delivery group (7% and 1.7%, respectively). The mean score of the EPDS in the normal vaginal delivery group at both assessments was significantly lower than those of the emergency and elective caesarian section groups.

Conclusions: There was a strong relation between delivery mode and postpartum depression. Emergency CS showed a stronger correlation than elective caesarian section.

Keywords:

• Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
• caesarian section
• normal vaginal delivery
• postpartum depression
• prevalence

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank our patients for participating in the study. We also appreciate the help of the nursing staff in the obstetrics department throughout the course of the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.