Postnatal Common Mental Disorders and Their Predictors in Northwest Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cohort Study

Postnatal common mental disorders (PCMDs) are the most common complications after childbirth and are associated with many adverse effects on infant growth and development. Undiagnosed and untreated PCMDs significantly affect the health and lives of the mother, their children, and families. Although PCMDs are a significant public health concern, evidence from Ethiopia is limited. This study aimed to assess PCMDs and their predictors among postnatal women in the Dabat HDSS, Northwestern Ethiopia.

A community-based cohort study involved 872 pregnant women, who were evaluated for common mental disorders during their second and third trimesters and again two to 8 weeks postpartum. Women with a self-reporting questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20) score of ≥6 were considered to have common mental disorders. A modified Poisson regression model was used to identify the independent predictors of pCMDs.

The prevalence and incidence of pCMDs were 16.05% (95% CI: 13.67, 18.74) and 14.02% (95% CI: 11.64, 16.79), respectively, with 3.83% of women exhibiting perinatal CMD during the study period. PCMDs are independently predicted by experiencing labor complications (IRR = 2.43, 95% CI: 1.69, 3.47), preterm birth (IRR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.26, 2.35), antenatal CMD (IRR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.37, 2.61), and a history of CMD before pregnancy (IRR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.32, 3.98).

The observed incidence and prevalence of PCMDs in Ethiopia were lower than in previous studies. Common mental disorders before and during pregnancy, preterm birth, and the presence of labor complications increase the risk of pCMDs. Early detection and treatment of mental disorders before and during pregnancy, along with interventions to reduce preterm birth and labor complications, could decrease the incidence of postnatal mental disorders.