A comparative study of domestic decision-making power and social support as predictors of postpartum depressive and physical symptoms between immigrant and native-born women

Abstract

Background Women's participation in decision-making in the household is an indicator of women's empowerment. Few studies have compared domestic decision-making power and its effect on postpartum health between immigrant and native-born women. This study aimed to examine the effect of domestic decision-making power and social support during pregnancy on predicting postpartum depressive and physical symptoms among immigrant and nativeborn mothers in Taiwan. Methods and findings This prospective study recruited 177 marriage-based immigrant mothers and 230 nativeborn women who were at least twelve weeks pregnant from hospitals, clinics and health centers. Data were collected in the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy and at 3 months postpartum from March 2013 to March 2015. Postpartum depression and the severity of postpartum physical symptoms were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and a 17-item, 4-point Likert scale, respectively. Linear regression was used to examine the relationship between "domestic decision-making power and social support during pregnancy" and "depressive and physical symptoms at 3 months postpartum." Women who had lower domestic decision-making power and social support during pregnancy had higher postpartum depressive and physical symptoms. Those women with full-time employment and insufficient family income had higher postpartum depressive symptoms. Though immigrant women scored lower in domestic decision-making power and social support than native-born women, they had lower mean scores in postpartum depressive and physical symptoms. After accounting for the abovementioned factors, immigrant women remained at lower risk for postpartum depressive and physical symptoms than native-born women.

Perinatal Predictors of Postpartum Depression: Results of a Retrospective Comparative Study

“…They demonstrated that women characterized by lower domestic-decision-making power and social support during pregnancy were more commonly diagnosed with postpartum depression. Similar results were obtained in women working full-time and with lower family income [ 37 ]. The authors suggested that the population of immigrants was healthier and more motivated, so depression occurred less frequently than in the local population.…”

“…The risk increased due to preterm delivery, delayed initiation of breastfeeding and lower birth weight of the child. A retrospective study by Chen et al demonstrated that the risk of postpartum depression was 3-fold higher in women who experienced preeclampsia intragestationally, whilst in case of severe preeclampsia, the risk was even 4-fold [ 37 ]. Similarly, pregestational obesity also indirectly correlated with the risk of PPD, probably due to the obesity-induced stress mechanism [ 38 ].…”

Perinatal Anxiety Symptoms: Rates and Risk Factors in Mexican Women

“…While risk factors, such as not having a partner [ 10 , 11 ], lower social support [ 12 , 13 , 14 ], lower partner satisfaction [ 15 , 16 , 17 ], and multiparity [ 18 ] for perinatal depression have been identified, their associations with PAS have yet to be determined among perinatal women living in Mexico. Cesarean delivery and stressful life events [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ] are risk factors for PAS in Colombia, Australia, and Rwanda, while resilience has been identified as a protective factor for PAS [ 22 ].…”

Peripartum Predictors of the Risk of Postpartum Depressive Disorder: Results of a Case-Control Study

“…Similarly, Chen et al reported no increased risk of postpartum depression associated with the mode of delivery or neonatal status in patients with pre-eclampsia, during pregnancy. However, the researchers noted a 3- to 4-fold increase of the risk associated with the primary disease [ 22 ].…”