Factors associated with postpartum depression among women in Vientiane Capital, Lao People’s Democratic Republic: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Postpartum depression is a worldwide public health concern. The prevalence of postpartum depression is reported to be greater in developing countries than in developed countries. However, to the best of our knowledge, no papers on postpartum depression in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic have been published. In order to strengthen maternal and child health, the current situation of postpartum depression should be understood. This study aims to determine the prevalence of postpartum depression and identify factors associated with postpartum depression in Vientiane Capital, Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Study participants were 428 women 6–8 weeks postpartum who visited four central hospitals in Vientiane Capital for postnatal care from July to August 2019. Structured questionnaires were used to collect socio-demographic, obstetrical and infant, and psychiatric data about the women and their partners. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to identify suspected cases of postpartum depression with the cut-off score of 9/10. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine independent factors that were associated with suspected postpartum depression (EPDS ≥10). The mean age of the 428 women was 28.1 years, and the prevalence of suspected postpartum depression was 31.8%. Multivariable logistic regression using variables that were statistically significant on bivariate analyses indicated that three variables were associated with suspected postpartum depression: unintended pregnancy (AOR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.00–2.73, P = 0.049), low birth satisfaction (AOR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.00–3.43, P = 0.049), and depression during pregnancy (AOR = 3.99, 95% CI 2.35–6.77, P <0.001). In this study, unintended pregnancy, low birth satisfaction, and depression during pregnancy were independent risk factors for postpartum depression. These results suggest that the mental health of pregnant women should be monitored, and that health care services, especially family planning and supportive birth care, should be strengthened to prevent postpartum depression.

Magnitude and Determinant Factors of Postpartum Depression Among Mothers Attending Their Postnatal and Vaccination Services at Public Health Institutions of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

“…In addition, this result was higher than the results of three studies conducted in different parts of Ethiopia such as Harar ( 33 ), Debre Berhan ( 47 ), and eastern Ethiopia ( 48 ) which reported the prevalence of PPD as 13.11, 15.6, and 16.3%, respectively. Moreover, the prevalence of postpartum depression in this study was lower than the result of a study conducted in southwestern Uganda 27.1% ( 15 ), Egypt 27.5% ( 16 ), Pakistan 31% ( 49 ), Vientiane Capital 31.8% ( 41 ), Nigeria 35.6% ( 17 ), and Bangladesh 39.4% ( 12 ). This variation might be associated with socio-cultural differences, assessment tools, the difference in the cut of point of EPDS, the difference in the sampling procedure, and included study participants.…”

“…The study conducted in southwestern Uganda ( 15 ) used the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders V for diagnosis of postpartum depression while Edinburg postnatal depression scale (EPDS) was used in our study. Edinburg postnatal depression scale (EPDS) with ≥10 thresholds were used in a study conducted in Bangladesh ( 12 ) and Vientiane Capital ( 41 ), while minimum Edinburg postnatal depression scale (EPDS) ≥13 thresholds were considered for the diagnosis of postpartum depression in our study. Besides, the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) in this study was lower than the report of three studies conducted in different regions of Ethiopia such as Addis Ababa ( 50 ), Gondar ( 37 ), and southeast Ethiopia ( 34 ) showing the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) 23, 25, and 33%, respectively.…”

“…History of depression: women who had a previous history of mental illness which was characterized by severe feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in activities ( 41 ).…”

The relationship between social capital and postpartum depression symptoms of lactating women in minority areas—A cross-sectional study from Guangxi, China

“…According to the World Health Organization, approximately 13% of women worldwide suffer from PPD after childbirth, and the proportion in developing countries is approximately 19.8% ( Fisher et al, 2012 ; Tang et al, 2016 ). Recent researches show that in some economically backward developing countries, the prevalence of PPD ranges from 14.7 to 31.8%, depending on the factors such as the postpartum period at the time of screening PPD symptoms, regional cultural characteristics, scales used, and positive standards ( Murray et al, 2015 ; Inthaphatha et al, 2020 ; Oskovi-Kaplan et al, 2021 ).…”

Posttraumatic growth and postpartum depression in women after childbirth: The moderating role of postpartum negative life events

“…Among them, postpartum depression is the most common psychiatric symptom in women after childbirth and has become a public health concern 4 . Postpartum depression affects not only women's health and parenting behaviors but also their children's subsequent development and social relationships 5,6 . Therefore, it is important to pay attention to maternal mental health and provide necessary support to minimize negative effects after childbirth.…”