Risk factors, cross‐cultural stressors and postpartum depression among immigrant Chinese women in Japan

Abstract

The purpose of this mixed-method design study was to examine factors contributing to depression among immigrant Chinese women (primipara and multipara) (n = 22) delivering a child for the first time in Japan. Data were obtained just after hospital discharge by using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Social Support Scale, a new scale to measure crosscultural stressors in the postpartum setting and a visual analogue scale for stress and a demographic survey. The average EPDS score was 9.0 (SD ± 3.7) at 1-3 weeks postpartum; yet, more than half of the subjects (n = 12; 54.5%) were high risk for depression (EPDS ≥ 10). Low household income and primiparous status were associated with depression scores. New mothers with depression also reported more general stress and more cross-cultural stress in the postpartum setting, although social support appeared to mediate cross-cultural stressors. Semi-structured interviews were held with two immigrant women at high risk for depression; these new mothers described additional stress because they could not follow Zuoyuezi, an important postpartum Chinese tradition, in the Japanese hospital. These findings suggest that immigrant Chinese women are at higher risk for postpartum depression when they give birth for the first time in Japan.

Prevalence and factors associated with postpartum depression in women from single‐child families

“…The present figure was higher than the prevalence of PPD reported in other studies carried out in China using the EPDS scale. [9][10][11] Similar to the present results, a Japanese study of new mothers 12 found that depressive symptoms were evident in 55% of immigrant peer-reviewed journals between 1998 and 2008 13 showed that the prevalence of PPD in Asian countries displayed a wide range from 4% to 63%. The distinguishing feature of the present study in comparison with other studies that have examined the prevalence of PPD lies in the fact the present study involved investigation of the long-term effects of sibling deprivation on psychological adjustment.…”

“…The present figure was higher than the prevalence of PPD reported in other studies carried out in China using the EPDS scale . Similar to the present results, a Japanese study of new mothers found that depressive symptoms were evident in 55% of immigrant Chinese women. A systematic review of articles published in English peer‐reviewed journals between 1998 and 2008 showed that the prevalence of PPD in Asian countries displayed a wide range from 4% to 63%.…”

Prevalence and associated factors of postpartum depression among immigrant women in Guangzhou, China

“…The prevalence rate of PPD was as high as 34.0%. Likewise, a Japanese study of new mothers found that 54.5% of migrant Chinese women had elevated levels of postpartum depressive symptoms as indicated by scores on EPDS [6]. Several other Canadian studies similarly found that the risks for PPD in immigrant Chinese women were significantly higher than that of native-born women [2][3][4].…”

“…A recent systematic review found that immigrant women are twice as likely to experience PPD as nonimmigrant women [5]. In a cross-sectional study conducted in Tokyo, Japan, migrant Chinese women had elevated depression symptoms postnatally than Japanese-born women [6]. Several studies conducted in Ontario, Canada have found migrant Chinese women had increased risk of PPD compared to their Canadian-born counterparts [7,8].…”

Association of postpartum depression and cesarean section: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…52 On the other hand, low socioeconomic status is a risk factor for PPD. 53 Therefore, it is likely that mothers who have an emergency CS have a lower socioeconomic status than those who undergo selective surgery and are more prone to PPD. This relationship was also confirmed in a study conducted in the Netherlands in which the odds ratio of PPD was higher mothers with CS (OR = 1.53).…”