Perinatal characteristics and mother's personality profile associated with increased likelihood of postpartum depression occurrence in a Romanian outpatient sample

Abstract

Background: Postpartum depression represents an increasingly recognized psychiatric condition in new mothers, and even more so in recent years as its detection has improved.

Aims: This study aimed to reveal those maternal and perinatal parameters that are significantly associated with increased likelihood of postpartum depression in delivering mothers from our region.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 163 women between 6 and 8 weeks after delivery. Postnatal depression was assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) using a cut-off of >12.

Results: Postnatal depression was detected in 39 (23.93%) new mothers. The preterm delivery [odds ratio (OR) 7.233; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.631–32.078; p = 0.009], presence of complications during pregnancy (OR 4.579; 95% CI 1.314–15.953; p = 0.017) and being primiparous (OR 3.388; 95% CI 1.430–8.025; p = 0.006) have been associated with an increased likelihood of subsequent postpartum depression. Anxiety traits of personality were the most represented in depressive mothers.

Conclusions: Postpartum depression is a frequent psychiatric condition in new mothers from our region. These results outline the critical role of mother’s profile of personality which in a particular context of perinatal events could result in an increased likelihood of postpartum depression requiring a multidisciplinary approach.

Keywords:

• Increased likelihood
• perinatal
• personality
• postpartum depression

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Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.