Annals of Epidemiology
Volume 19, Issue 9 , Pages 637-643, September 2009

Prenatal Social Support, Postnatal Social Support, and Postpartum Depression

  • Ri-Hua Xie, RN, MSc, PhD

      Affiliations

    • OMNI Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Canada
    • Huaihua Medical College, Hunan, P.R. China
    • Ottawa Health Research Institute, Clinical Epidemiology Program, University of Ottawa, Canada
    • Central South University, Hunan, People's Republic of China
    • ,
  • Guoping He, MD

      Affiliations

    • Central South University, Hunan, People's Republic of China
    • ,
  • Diana Koszycki, PhD, CPsych

      Affiliations

    • Stress and Anxiety Clinical Research Unit, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Canada
    • ,
  • Mark Walker, MD

      Affiliations

    • Ottawa Health Research Institute, Clinical Epidemiology Program, University of Ottawa, Canada
    • ,
  • Shi Wu Wen, MB, PhD

      Affiliations

    • OMNI Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Canada
    • Ottawa Health Research Institute, Clinical Epidemiology Program, University of Ottawa, Canada
    • Central South University, Hunan, People's Republic of China
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to: Dr. Shi Wu Wen, OMNI Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine, 501 Smyth Rd, Box 241, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1H 8L6. Tel.: 613-737-8899, ext 73912; Fax: 613-739-6266.

Received 30 September 2008; accepted 2 March 2009. published online 15 May 2009.

Purpose

To assess the association of antenatal and postnatal social support with postpartum depression (PPD).

Methods

We carried out a prospective cohort study of 534 pregnant women between February and September 2007 in Hunan, China. The association between prenatal and postnatal social support with PPD was examined.

Results

A total of 103 (19.29%) women had PPD. Women with low prenatal and postnatal social support had higher rates of PPD. For prenatal support, PPD was 28.20% in the lowest quartile versus 9.90% in the highest quartile (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 3.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.64,6.98). For postnatal support, PPD was 44.10% in the lowest quartile versus 5.40% in the highest quartile (adjusted OR: 9.64, 95% CI=4.09, 22.69).

Conclusions

Lower or lack of social support is a risk factor of PPD. The association between postnatal social support and PPD is much stronger than that of prenatal social support.

Key Words: Postpartum Depression, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Social Support, Antenatal, Postpartum

List of Abbreviations and Acronyms: PPD, Postpartum depression, SSRS, Social Support Rating Scale, EPDS, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, SD, Standard Deviation, OR, Odds Ratio, aOR, Adjusted Odds Ratio, 95%CI, 95% Confidence Interval

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PII: S1047-2797(09)00079-9

doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2009.03.008

Refers to erratum:

Annals of Epidemiology
Volume 19, Issue 9 , Pages 637-643, September 2009

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