Gender preference and perinatal depression in Turkey: A cohort study
Vesile Senturk Cankorur1, Berker Duman1, Clare Taylor2
1Department of Psychiatry, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Plos One
|March 30, 2017
Summary
Disagreement in child gender preference between women and their mothers-in-law predicted postnatal depression. This finding suggests family disharmony may contribute to perinatal depression risk.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Mental Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Child gender preference is a significant cultural factor influencing perinatal mental health.
- Previous research indicates gender preference can modify the risk for antenatal and postnatal depression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate discrepancies in child gender preference between women and key family members.
- To determine if these discrepancies predict perinatal depression.
Main Methods:
- A large cohort study in Turkey assessed perinatal depression.
- Participants reported their own and family members' child gender preferences.
- Follow-up assessments occurred at 4 and 14 months postpartum.
Main Results:
- No association was found between antenatal gender preference and depression.
- Disagreement between a woman's and her mother-in-law's gender preference predicted antenatal depression.
- This non-agreement also predicted postnatal depression at 4 and 14 months, persisting after covariate adjustment.
Conclusions:
- Disagreement in child gender preference between a woman and her mother-in-law is a predictor of postnatal depression.
- This may indicate wider family disharmony as an underlying factor contributing to perinatal depression.
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