THE PREVALENCE AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION AT SPHMMC AND ITS AFFLILIATE, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
Abstract
Background: Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a challenging condition and a major public health problem because of its great effect on the mother and her child in a critical period of child development.
Nevertheless, it has received less attention in the Ethiopian primary care and MCH clinics. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and associated factors of postpartum depression at St.Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College and its affiliated Hospitals and health center.
Methods: A facility based a cross-sectional study among mothers aged 18-45 years having follow up at postpartum clinic or came for vaccination service between 2-6 wks postpartum period at St.Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College and its affiliated Hospitals and health center(Dagmawi Minilik Hospital ,Ras Desta Dametaw memorial Hospital ,Kolfe health center).
A convenient sampling technique was used to enroll 308 mothers and interviwed with specially constructed questionare consisting of Amharic version of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
(EPDS) and other questions of PPD related risk factors. We adopted the cut off score of ≥ 7 to define depression. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate methods were used to analyze the the prevalence of postpartum depression and its associated factors.
Result: Of the 308 interviews conducted, 297 were valid for analysis. 51 mothers (17%) scored ≥ 7 on Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Considered depressed. Univariate analysis showed that depression during pregnancy; positive personal mental history; verbal and physical abuse; 2 or more stressful events during pregnancy; marital separation or divorce; poor satisfaction of the relationships with the husband, the family and the mother-in-law; perceived low social support; and premature baby are strongly associated with postpartum depression.
Conclusion: Prevalence of postpartum depression is high (17.2%) among postpartum mothers and is mainly associated with psychosocial stressors during pregnancy. We highly recommend the integration of PPD screening into the antenatal and postnatal healthcare services and to give more time to mothers counseling in addition to the medical services offered.