Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-4rdrl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-26T06:04:59.306Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Impact of Prenatal Depressive Symptoms on Postpartum Depressive Symptoms: Mediation Effect of Perinatal Health

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 July 2018

Fábio Silva ,
Ana Conde  and
Raquel Costa
Fábio Silva
Affiliation:
Universidade Portucalense (Portugal)
Ana Conde
Affiliation:
Universidade Portucalense (Portugal)
Raquel Costa*
Affiliation:
Universidade Europeia / Laureate International Universities (Portugal)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Raquel Costa. Universidade Europeia. Escola de Saúde. Estrada da Correia, 53, Carnide Universidade Europeia, Laureate International Universities, Lisboa 1500–210. Portugal. E-mail: rqlcosta@gmail.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

To analyze the mediation effect of perinatal health on the association between prenatal depressive symptoms and postpartum depressive symptoms 180 women filled the Edinburgh Postnatal Depressive Scale (EPDS) at 35 weeks of gestation and two months after childbirth. Perinatal health data was collected during the first 4 days after childbirth, using the Optimality Index. 25.6% of the mothers-to-be presented clinically significant depressive symptoms, and of these, 80.4% still show clinically significant depressive symptoms at 2-months postpartum. Prenatal depressive symptoms predict higher postpartum depressive symptoms. Additionally, results also showed that the effect of prenatal depressive symptoms on postnatal depressive symptoms is not mediated by perinatal health. Mothers-to-be with prenatal depressive symptoms seem to be at risk for postnatal depression, even when perinatal health is not compromised. This highlights the importance of early screening of prenatal depressive symptoms in order to promote an early intervention on women’s mental health, leading to a better transition to parenthood and to a decrease of the burden of this public health problem on children and families.

Keywords

perinatal healthprenatal depressive symptomspostpartum depressive symptomsscreening
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 21 , 2018 , E28
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Funding information: Fundação Bial, Ref. 157/12.

References

Alder, J., Fink, N., Bitzer, J., Hösli, I., & Holzgreve, W. (2007). Depression and anxiety during pregnancy: A risk factor for obstetric, fetal and neonatal outcome? A critical review of the literature. Journal of Maternal and Fetal Neonatal Medicine, 20(3), 189–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767050701209560CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Andersson, L., Sundström-Poromaa, I., Wulff, M., Åström, M., & Bixo, M. (2006). Depression and anxiety during pregnancy and six months postpartum: A follow-up study. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 85(8), 937–944. https://doi.org/10.1080/00016340600697652CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Areias, M. E. G., Kumar, R., Barros, H., & Figueiredo, E. (1996). Comparative incidence of depression in women and men, during pregnancy and after childbirth. Validation of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in Portuguese mothers. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 169, 30–35. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.169.1.30CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173–1182. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Canário, C., & Figueiredo, B. (2017). Anxiety and depressive symptoms in women and men from early pregnancy to 30 months postpartum, 35(5), 431–449. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2017.1368464CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Conners-Burrow, N. A., McKelvey, L., Perry, D., Whiteside-Mansell, L., Kraleti, S., Mesman, G., … Kyzer, A. (2016). Low-level symptoms of depression in mothers of young children are associated with behavior problems in middle childhood. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 20(3), 516–524. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-015-1849-0CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cox, J. L., Holden, J. M., & Sagovsky, R. (1987). Detection of postnatal depression. Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 150(6), 782–786. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.150.6.782CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Evans, J., Heron, J., Francomb, H., Oke, S., & Golding, J. (2001). Cohort study of depressed mood during pregnancy and after childbirth. British Medical Journal, 323(7307), 257–260. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.323.7307.257CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Faisal-Cury, A., & Menezes, P. R. (2012). Antenatal depression strongly predicts postnatal depression in primary health care. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, 34, 446–450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbp.2012.01.003CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Felice, E., Saliba, J., Grech, V., & Cox, J. (2004). Prevalence rates and psychosocial characteristics associated with depression in pregnancy and postpartum in Maltese women. Journal of Affective Disorders, 82(2), 297–301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2003.11.011CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Figueiredo, B., & Conde, A. (2011). Anxiety and depression in women and men from early pregnancy to 3-months postpartum. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 14(3), 247–255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-011-0217-3CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Figueiredo, B., Pacheco, A., & Costa, R. (2007). Depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period in adolescent and adult Portuguese mothers. Archives of Womens’ Mental Health, 10, 103–109. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-007-0178-8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Flynn, H. A. (2005). Epidemiology and phenomenology of postpartum mood disorders. Psychiatric Annals, 35(7), 544–551. https://doi.org/10.3928/0048-5713-20050701-12CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goodman, J. H., & Tyer-Viola, L. (2010). Detection, treatment, and referral of perinatal depression and anxiety by obstetrical providers. Journal of Women’s Health, 19(3), 477–490. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2008.1352CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gorrman, L. L., O’Hara, M. W., Figueiredo, B., Hayes, S., Jacquemain, F., Kammerer, M. H., … Sutter-Dallay, A. L.(2004). Adaptation of the structured clinical interview for DSM–IV disorders for assessing depression in women during pregnancy and post-partum across countries and cultures. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 184(S46), s17–s23. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.184.46.s17CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heron, J., O’Connor, T. G., Evans, J., Golding, J., Glover, V., & ALSPAC Study Team (2004). The course of anxiety and depression through pregnancy and the postpartum in a community sample. Journal of Affective Disorders, 80(1), 65–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2003.08.004CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnstone, S. J., Boyce, P. M., Hickey, A. R., Morris-Yates, A. D., & Harris, M. G. (2001). Obstetric risk factors for postnatal depression in urban and rural community samples. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 35(1), 69–74. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-1614.2001.00862.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Josefsson, A., Angelsiöö, L., Berg, G., Ekström, C.-M., Gunnervik, C., Nordin, C., & Sydsjö, G. (2002). Obstetric, somatic, and demographic risk factors for postpartum depressive symptoms. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 99(2), 223–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0029-7844(01)01722-7Google ScholarPubMed
Kim, Y. K., Hur, J. W., Kim, K. H., Oh, K. S., & Shin, Y. C. (2008). Prediction of postpartum depression by sociodemographic, obstetric and psychological factors: A prospective study. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 62(3), 331–340. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1819.2008.01801.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Koutra, K., Vassilaki, M., Georgiou, V., Koutis, A., Bitsios, P., Kogevinas, M., & Chatzi, L. (2016). Pregnancy, perinatal and postpartum complications as determinants of postpartum depression: The Rhea mother-child cohort in Crete, Greece. Epidemiology and Psychiatry Sciences, 27(3), 244–255. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796016001062CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lee, D. T., & Chung, T. K. (2007). Postnatal depression: An update. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 21(2), 183–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2006.10.003CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Liou, S.-R., Wang, P., & Cheng, C.-Y. (2016). Effects of prenatal maternal mental distress on birth outcomes. Women and Birth, 29(4), 376–380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2016.03.004CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Murphy, P. A., & Fullerton, J. T. (2006). Development of the Optimality Index as a new approach to evaluating outcomes of maternity care. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 35(6), 770–778. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2006.00105.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nielsen, D., Videbech, P., Hedegaard, M., Dalby, J., & Secher, N. (2000). Postpartum depression: identification of women at risk. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 107(10), 1210–1217.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robertson, E., Grace, S., Wallington, T., & Stewart, D. E. (2004). Antenatal risk factors for postpartum depression: a synthesis of recent literature. General Hospital Psychiatry, 26(4), 289–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2004.02.006CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Segre, L. S., O’Hara, M. W., Arndt, S., & Stuart, S. (2007). The prevalence of postpartum depression: the relative significance of three social status indices. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 42(4), 316–321. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0168-1CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sidebottom, A. C., Hellerstedt, W. L., Harrison, P. A., & Hennrikus, D. (2014). An examination of prenatal and postpartum depressive symptoms among women served by urban community health centers. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 17(1), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-013-0378-3CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Teixeira, C., Figueiredo, B., Conde, A., Pacheco, A., & Costa, R. (2009). Anxiety and depression during pregnancy in women and men. Journal of Affective Disorders, 119(1), 142–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2009.03.005CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tendais, I., Costa, R., Conde, A., & Figueiredo, B. (2014). Screening for depression and anxiety disorders from pregnancy to postpartum with the EPDS and STAI. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 17, E7. https://doi.org/10.1017/sjp.2014.7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Underwood, L., Waldie, K., D’Souza, S., Peterson, E. R., & Morton, S. (2016). A review of longitudinal studies on antenatal and postnatal depression. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 19(5), 711–720. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-016-0629-1CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed