Prevalence of depressive symptoms in late pregnancy and postpartum

Abstract

Background. Postnatal depression refers to a non-psychotic depressive episode that begins in or extends into the postpartum period. The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence of depressive symptoms in a pregnant and later postnatal population, to determine the natural course of these symptoms and whether there is an association between antenatal and postnatal depressive symptomatology. Methods. A longitudinal study with a total population of 1,558 consecutively registered pregnant women in the southeast region of Sweden. Presence of depressive symptoms was measured with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale on four occasions namely in gestational week 35-36, in the maternity ward, 6-8 weeks and 6 months postpartum. Results. The prevalence of depressive symptoms during late pregnancy was 17%; in the maternity ward 18%; 6-8 weeks postnatally 13%; and 6 months postnatally, 13%. A correlation between antenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms was found (rΩ0.50, pϽ0.0001). Conclusion. Detection of women at risk for developing postnatal depressive symptoms can be done during late pregnancy. Antenatal care clinics constitute a natural and useful environment for recognition of women with depressive symptoms.

Replication of Epigenetic Postpartum Depression Biomarkers and Variation with Hormone Levels

“…Critically, unlike our original study and the data set generated by Mehta et al, these results demonstrate that our model may be efficacious in a general population sample without a history of mood disorder. It is of note that only a small number (2.1%) of women developed depressive symptoms postpartum compared with the reported averages of 10-20% (Josefsson et al, 2001;Miller, 2002;Pearlstein et al, 2009). Permutation analyses increase the confidence that the high AUC values observed are not a result of small numbers of cases.…”

“…Postpartum depression (PPD) affects between 10 and 20% of women (Josefsson et al, 2001;Miller, 2002;Pearlstein et al, 2009) and has significant effects on both mother and child (Breese McCoy, 2011;Cuijpers et al, 2008;Field, 2011;Hirst and Moutier, 2010;O'Hara, 2009;Soufia et al, 2010). Certain populations have higher rates of PPD including 30% in women with a history of depression and 52% of women with bipolar disorder (Viguera et al, 2011).…”

The immune-mediated alteration of serotonin and glutamate: towards an integrated view of depression

“…124,125 After delivery, an activation of the type 1 response of the maternal immune system takes place. 126,127 This type 1-dominated maternal immune re-balancing was found to be associated with the postpartum blues, 126 a state found in 20-75% of mothers, 128,129 or the postpartum depression, a state found in 10-15% of mothers. 130 After delivery, an increase of the proinflammatory immune response was described.…”

An open trial with cognitive behavioral therapy for blood- and injection phobia in pregnant women—a group intervention program

“…The prevalence of antenatal anxiety during the third trimester is reported to be between 10 and 24% and it also overlaps with depression and increases the risk of postnatal depression (Sutter-Dally et al 2004;Heron and O'Connor 2004). Around 13-17% of women suffer from depressive illness during pregnancy and or the first year postpartum (Josefsson et al 2001). Clinical experience has shown that the number of women who state fear of injections, blood and hospital environments has increased.…”