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Demographic and Obstetric Risk Factors for Postnatal Psychiatric Morbidity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Rachel Warner ,
Louis Appleby ,
Anna Whitton  and
Brian Faragher
Rachel Warner
Affiliation:
University of Manchester
Louis Appleby*
Affiliation:
University of Manchester
Anna Whitton
Affiliation:
University of Manchester
Brian Faragher
Affiliation:
University of Manchester
*
Louis Appleby, School of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, University of Manchester, Withington Hospital, Nell Lane, Manchester, M20 8LR
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Abstract

Background

Postnatal depression follows 10% of live births but there is little consensus on the risk factors associated with its development. Previous smaller studies have been unable to quantify the impact of independent risk factors as relative and attributable risks.

Method

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to screen a systematic sample of 2375 women, six to eight weeks after delivery. Information on socio-demographic and obstetric variables was collected at the screening interview. The risk factors associated with high EPDS scores (>12) were determined and entered stepwise into a regression model.

Results

Four independent variables were found to be associated with an EPDS score above this threshold. These were an unplanned pregnancy (OR 1.44); not breast-feeding (OR 1.52), and unemployment in either the mother, i.e. no job to return to following maternity leave (OR 1.56), or the head of household (OR 1.50). These four variables appeared to explain the risk associated with other risk factors.

Conclusions

Although a direct aetiological role for these risk factors is not certain, they may indicate strategies for the prevention of affective morbidity in postnatal women. These may include reducing unwanted pregnancy and employment for women after childbirth.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 168 , Issue 5 , May 1996 , pp. 607 - 611
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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