Postpartum Depression Tied To Social Isolation

OB/GYN News, Jan 15, 2001 by Mary Aim Moon

Screening women in late pregnancy for psychological distress and social isolation may identify those at risk for postpartum depression, according to Dr. D. Nielsen Forman of Aarhus (Denmark) University and associates.

They enrolled more than 6,000 women at 16 weeks' gestation in a prospective study to determine risk factors for postpartum depression. At entry into the study at 30 weeks' gestation, and at 4 months postpartum, 5,091 subjects completed questionnaires that detailed numerous factors that might be related to developing the illness (Br. J. Obstet. Gynaecol. 107[10]:1210-17, 2000).

A total of 281 women were found to have postpartum depression. Those who reported psychological distress late in pregnancy were six times more likely than those who did not to become depressed, Dr. Forman and associates said.

Women who said they did not have the support of family, friends, and a partner were nearly four times more likely to develop the disorder. "Among other variables, only high parity and prepregnant history of psychiatric disease were significantly associated with postpartum depression, increasing the women's risk three- and twofold, respectively" the investigators said.

No perinatal event, pregnancy complication, or demographic factor among the more than 30 factors evaluated were predictive of postpartum depression.