What I (would have) needed - Mothers' views on determinants of postpartum depressive symptom remission

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common peripartum complication with approximately 13-17% of women being affected. About 30-50% continue to have symptoms 12 months postpartum. Earlier studies have examined women's experiences of treatments to evaluate their effectiveness in supporting women's recovery from PPD. Studies implementing a broader qualitative research focus-exploring factors associated with both personal circumstances and the health care system, and their perceived contribution to remission-are currently lacking.

To identify the factors women with short- and long-term PPD symptoms view as most important for faster remission.

Participants from a Swedish cohort study (Mom2B) with depressive symptoms above the clinical cut-off of 11 on the Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale early postpartum, were invited to participate in an interview study. Semi-structure interviews were performed online (n = 12) or via telephone (n = 6). The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Systematic Text Condensation.

Five themes describing factors of importance for recovery from PPD were identified; 1) Others take responsibility; 2) Practical support; 3) Emotional validation; 4) Thresholds and 5) Struggling to prioritize oneself.

Synthesized from the resulting themes, a five-stage recovery process was identified: realization of symptoms, acceptance, recognizing the need for help, knowledge, and receiving help. This study highlights the key factors in PPD recovery from the perspective of affected women, providing insights to inform and improve postpartum care. The results can help staff visualize the process, which makes them better equipped to support the women effectively.