Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Commonly Neglected Conditions in Northern Nigeria
NA Idris, AR TukurBackground:
Postpartum psychiatric disorders encompass a range of mental health conditions that occur after childbirth, they include postpartum anxiety, depression, postpartum blues, and postpartum psychosis. These disorders can significantly impact the well-being of the mothers, their families, and the newborns. Postpartum psychiatric disorders remain a significant concern in northern Nigeria, with potentially higher prevalence compared to what’s obtained globally.
Aim:
To determine the prevalence of postpartum psychiatric disorders among women attending immunisation and postnatal clinics in Kano, Nigeria.
Methods:
A prospective hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted in Aminu Kano Teaching Kano, Nigeria over a period of three (3) months in the year 2023. One hundred and twenty-eight (128) mothers were selected using a systematic sampling technique and interviewed using pre-tested, structured interviewer-administered questionnaires. Data was analysed using SPSS version 25.0.
Results:
Slighly above three-quarter (78%) of the recently parturient women had postpartum depression, among them more than half (55%) had mild while (4.7%) had severe postpartum depression. Nearly half of them (43%) were found to have postpartum blues. More than two thirds of the respondents (70%) were found to have mild postpartum psychosis.
Conclusion:
Postpartum psychiatric disorders were found to be common in our setting. A more compehensive approach from healthcare providers and health managers would go along way in addressing the situation using early screening during pregnancy as well as the postpartum period, improve access to mental health services, and widespread education and support programs for the affected mothers and families.