Biopsychosocial correlates of emotional problems in women during pregnancy and postpartum period
Archana Javadekar, Arpita Karmarkar, Suprakash Chaudhury, Daniel Saldanha, Jaideep Patil- General Medicine
Background:
Transition to motherhood is associated with several emotional problems that can have long-term consequences on the mother and baby.
Aim:
To examine the association of various biomedical and cultural factors with the new onset of emotional problems during pregnancy and postpartum period.
Materials and Methods:
This prospective longitudinal study included 300 pregnant women interviewed in the third trimester.
Results:
The prevalence of emotional problems in the study group was 31.58%. The prevalence of anxiety disorder NOS and mixed anxiety and depressive disorder in the last trimester of pregnancy in our study was 4% and 1.33%, respectively, and 0.67% and 1.33%, respectively, at 4 days postpartum. At 6 weeks postpartum, the prevalence of anxiety disorder NOS was 1.33%, generalized anxiety disorder was 0.67%, and major depression was 1.33. The prevalence of postpartum blues in our study was 25.33%.
Conclusion:
There was a significant association between psychiatric disorders during and postpartum period and the following factors: higher parity, increased maternal age, low hemoglobin levels, cesarean section, planned pregnancy, and extended family. Postpartum blues was associated with higher parity and low blood pressure.