Relationship between the Noto-Peninsula earthquake and maternal postnatal depression and child-rearing

Abstract

Objective The aim of our study was to explore the relationship between a medium-scale earthquake and maternal depression and child-rearing in a depopulated community in the Noto Peninsula of Japan. Methods Three months after a major earthquake, selfrating questionnaires were distributed to women who were pregnant at the time of the earthquake or who became pregnant immediately thereafter, and who were receiving care at any of four major hospitals in the most devastated area. A total of 155 women who had given birth returned the completed questionnaire for analysis. Maternal postnatal depression among the participants was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Results The EPDS score was significantly associated with decreased ''satisfaction with delivery'' (b = -0.28, p = 0.01), increased artificial ''lactation'' (b = 0.31, p = 0.002), and increased ''trouble with infant care'' (b = 0.47, p \ 0.001) in multivariate analysis. It was also significantly associated with increased ''anxiety about earthquakes'' (b = 0.30, p = 0.001), and ''anxiety about earthquakes'' was significantly associated with increased ''fear of the earthquake'' (b = 0.20, p = 0.04). Conclusions Earthquake-related factors such as ''anxiety about earthquakes'' and ''fear of the earthquake'' did not have a direct effect on child-rearing factors; however, they did have a significant relationship with increased EPDS. Based on these results, we conclude that screening strategies for maternal depression in peri-and postnatal women under emergency circumstances are necessary.

Immediate effects of the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster on depressive symptoms among mothers with infants: a prefectural-wide cross-sectional study from the Fukushima Health Management Survey

“…This finding is in line with a previous study of pregnant women affected by Hurricane Katrina, which found that maternal depression was associated with a loss of resources, including social support network and daily routine [ 27 ]. Another post-earthquake study from Japan reported that mothers’ EPDS score was associated with their satisfaction with delivery, including obstetrical care [ 28 ]. Moreover, an interruption in care could be accompanied by evacuation and other disaster-related incidents, which may further affect maternal mental health.…”

Correlation Between the Great East Japan Earthquake and Postpartum Depression: A Study in Miyako, Iwate, Japan

“…Because the number of clinical cases was small in multivariate logistic regression analyses in the within-3-months group and in the 4-6-months group separately, the after-disaster group included both the within-3-months group and the 4-6-months group for multivariate logistic regression analyses. For the risk factors for perinatal depression that were related to the disaster, previous studies have found that exposure to storm, 27 loss of resources, 28 earthquake experience, 29 , 30 anxiety about earthquakes, 31 , 32 and exposure to tsunami 2 were more likely to cause depression in pregnant and postnatal women who were affected by natural disasters. In the present study, we found that the destruction of their home and dissatisfaction with their living conditions were significant risk factors for postpartum depression among women in the after-disaster group.…”

Surveys of postpartum depression in Miyagi, Japan, after the Great East Japan Earthquake

“…With regard to the risk factors for perinatal depression related to the disaster, previous studies found that exposure to the storm (Xiong et al 2010 ), loss of resources (Ehrlich et al 2010 ), high earthquake exposure (Qu et al 2012 ), and anxiety about earthquakes (Hibino et al 2009 ) were more likely to cause depression in pregnant and postnatal women affected by natural disasters. In the present study, we found that exposure to the tsunami was a significant risk factor for postnatal depression.…”