Stability and change in depressive symptoms from pregnancy to two months postpartum in childbearing immigrant women

Abstract

The present study explored changes in mental health and functional status from pregnancy to 2 months postpartum in a sample of 106 childbearing immigrant women. Three sets of variables were examined in relation to postpartum depressive symptomatology: (1) prenatal depression, worries, and somatic symptoms; (2) social relationships (marital quality and social support), and (3) factors related to migration (premigration stress and length of stay in the host country). We found that 37.7% of the women in this community sample scored above the cutpoint of 12 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; prenatal depressive and somatic symptoms, as well as marital quality, were the best predictors of postpartum depressive symptomatology. An examination of differing trajectories from pregnancy to the postpartum period suggests that women with relatively few somatic complaints, low levels of perinatal stress, and satisfactory marital relations were less likely to exhibit mental health problems during pregnancy and postpartum. Women who were not depressed prenatally but reported postpartum depressive symptomatology exhibited several predisposing risk factors during pregnancy: many somatic complaints, high perinatal anxiety, and premigration stress. Women who were depressed during pregnancy but not postpartum reported improved physical function after childbirth. The implications of these findings for screening childbearing immigrant women are discussed.

Antenatal Depression in a Multi-Ethnic, Community Sample of Canadian Immigrants: Psychosocial Correlates and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Function

“…A recent large-scale Canadian study 1 reported all immigrants had an increased risk for prenatal depression, compared with Canadian-born women (30% and 23%, respectively). Likewise, 2 smaller-scale Canadian studies 40,41 reported extremely high rates of antenatal depression (38% to 42%) in immigrant women, using the same cut-off score of 12 on the EPDS. Discrepancies may be related to differing study populations.…”

Personality, depressive symptoms during pregnancy and their influence on postnatal depression in Spanish pregnant Spanish women. [Personalidad, síntomas depresivos en el embarazo y su influencia en la depresión postparto en gestantes españolas]

“…Dysfunctional beliefs and self-esteem (Jones et al, 2010), as well as quality of the relationship as a couple (Zelkowitz et al, 2008), and life events (Rubertsson et al, 2005) can all increase the risk of developing postnatal depression. There are numerous studies which specifically analyse the effect that anxiety and depressive disorders during pregnancy have on postnatal depression. The presence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy has been associated with the onset of depression after childbirth (Chaudron et al, 2001;Milgrom et al, 2008;Saisto, Salmela-Aro, Nurmi, and Halmesmaki, 2001).…”

If I Was Going to Kill Myself, I Wouldn't Be Calling You. I am Asking for Help: Challenges Influencing Immigrant and Refugee Women's Mental Health

“…However, these women have difficulty getting their mental health care needs met (Donnelly, 2004;Morrow & Chappell, 1999;O'Mahony & Donnelly, 2007a, 2007b. Barriers influencing immigrant and refugee women's mental health care include low socioeconomic status (Chiu, Ganesan, Clark, & Morrow, 2005;Dhooper & Tran, 1998;Pilowsky, 1991;Zelkowitz et al, 2008), unemployment and underemployment (Beiser, Johnson, & Turner, 1993;Bhui et al, 2003;Thompson, 2000), marginalization, 279 280 T. T. DONNELLY ET AL. discrimination, gender issues, language barriers (Chiu et al, 2005;Dhooper & Tran, 1998;O'Mahony & Donnelly, 2007b;Ziguras, Stankovska, & Minas, 1999), cultural differences (Anderson, 1987a;Dhooper & Tran, 1998;Li & Browne, 2000;O'Mahony & Donnelly, 2007a), social stigma, and lack of knowledge regarding available mental health care services (Chiu et al, 2005;O'Mahony & Donnelly, 2007a, 2007b.…”