PCN Reports (Dec 2024)

Evaluation of depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum by examining depressive symptoms and self‐harm ideation during the early postpartum period: Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three‐Generation Cohort Study

  • Masatsugu Orui,
  • Taku Obara,
  • Mami Ishikuro,
  • Aoi Noda,
  • Genki Shinoda,
  • Keiko Murakami,
  • Noriyuki Iwama,
  • Ippei Chiba,
  • Kumi Nakaya,
  • Rieko Hatanaka,
  • Mana Kogure,
  • Natsuko Kobayashi,
  • Saya Kikuchi,
  • Hirohito Metoki,
  • Masahiro Kikuya,
  • Naoki Nakaya,
  • Atsushi Hozawa,
  • Hiroaki Tomita,
  • Shinichi Kuriyama

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/pcn5.70025
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 4
pp. n/a – n/a

Abstract

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Abstract Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum, using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) total score and its subitem regarding self‐harm ideation (SHI) at 1 month postpartum. Methods A sample of 12,358 postpartum women answered the EPDS and questionaries at 1, 6, and 12 months postpartum longitudinally. Results For participants with postpartum depression (PPD; EPDS total score ≥9) and SHI (SHI sub‐score ≥1) at 1 month postpartum, the risk of depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] at 6 and 12 months postpartum: 20.03 [16.8–23.8] and 14.55 [12.3–17.2], respectively) was higher than for those with PPD but without SHI at 1 month postpartum (OR: 8.57 [7.36–10.0], and 6.24 [5.38–7.24], respectively). Additionally, SHI even without depressive symptoms at 1 month postpartum is also a risk for depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum. To support our longitudinal evaluation of depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum, these related factors were examined: traumatic events or relocations after the Great East Japan Earthquake, employment status, household income, personality traits, sleep status, psychological distress, and social networks. The result showed employment status, low household income and poor social networks were significantly associated with depression at 12 months postpartum but not at 6 months postpartum. Conclusion This study showed a high risk of depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum for those who had depressive symptoms with SHI at 1 month postpartum. Our findings may contribute to the precise evaluation of depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum while considering sleep status, psychological distress and social network during pregnancy.

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