Cognitive Dysfunction and Associated Behaviour Problems in Postpartum Women: A Study from North India

During and after childbirth women undergo tremendous psychological and biological changes. These biological changes, along with the stress of assuming the new role of mother, make postpartum women vulnerable to various psychiatric disorders including cognitive dysfunction, depression, and anxiety. Such problems are under-reported as they are difficult to identify, especially by caregivers who are more focused on the newborn. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of behaviour problems and cognitive dysfunction during the postpartum period.

A cross-sectional study was carried out at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College, Ajmer, India. The study sample included 200 consecutive women who came for their first follow-up after childbirth, and 100 healthy and non-pregnant women who served as controls. Cognitive function was assessed using the Standard Mini-Mental State Examination Scale (SMMSE), Brief Cognitive Rating Scale (BCRS), and Trail Making Test Part B (TMT-B). 21-Item Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale was administered to assess depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Postpartum women scored poorly on SMMSE, BCRS, and TMT-B compared with non-pregnant women (p < 0.001), whereas subscores of depression, anxiety, and stress were significantly higher (p < 0.001).

Women had significantly more cognitive deficits during the postpartum period than their non-pregnant counterparts. The former also had a higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress.