Occurrence of depression during the postpartum period and risk factors that affect the development of the depression

Authors: DEMET AKTAŞ, FÜSUN TERZİOĞLU

Abstract: To determine the occurrences of depression experienced by women during the postpartum period and the risk factors that affect the development of this depression. Materials and methods: The study involved 330 women who had recently given birth in a hospital in 2007. The women were contacted 3 times in total: on postpartum day 1 (face to face) and in weeks 2 and 6 (by phone). The Edinburgh Scale of Postpartum Depression (EPDS) was used as the form for collecting data. According to the EPDS, women who have scored 13 points or above are sensitive to depression. Results: The EPDS scores of 16.7% of women on postpartum day 1 and 19.4% of women at postpartum weeks 2 and 6 were 13 points or above. It has been determined that the difference of the average of EPDS points is statistically significant according to the factors of educational status, age, desire for the pregnancy, and having difficulty in caring for the baby with the spouse (P < 0.05). Conclusion: It is important that nurses provide consultancy services for women about depression during postpartum period.

Keywords: Postpartum depression, depression and risk factors, postpartum period

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