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Published on: June 13, 2021
Factors associated with depressive symptoms among postnatal women in Nepal
Signe Dørheim Ho-Yen1, Gunnar Tschudi Bondevik, Malin Eberhard-Gran
1Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, Section for General Practice, University of Bergen, and Division of Psychiatry, Stavanger University Hospital, Norway. sdhy@sus.no
Background:
Depression after childbirth affects both the mother and her infant. In South-Asia, maternal depression might also contribute to poor infant growth. Knowledge of risk factors could improve the health workers' recognition of depression.
Aim:
To examine possible risk factors for depression in the postnatal period among women in one clinical, one urban and one rural population in Lalitpur district, Nepal.
Method:
A total of 426 postnatal women were included in a cross-sectional structured interview study, 5-10 weeks after delivery. Depressive symptoms were measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS].
Results:
Multivariate analysis showed that depression (EPDS>12) was strongly associated with husband's alcoholism, polygamy and previous depression. Other significant factors were stressful life events, multiparity, smoking and depression during pregnancy. There was a non-significant trend of lower depressive scores among women living in arranged marriages, and among women practicing the tradition of staying in their maternal home after delivery.
Conclusions:
In addition to previously documented risk factors, traditional family structures may influence the risk of depression among postnatal women in Nepal.
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