Prevalence and Predictors of Postpartum Depression among Postpartum Mothers in Suphanburi Province

Abstract

           Postpartum depression is a mental health problem that affects mothers, infants, and families. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of postpartum depression among postpartum mothers in Suphanburi Province, and to examine whether postpartum stress, self-esteem, marital relationship, and social support could jointly predict postpartum depression. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 149 mothers at 4–6 weeks postpartum who attended postpartum clinics of hospitals in 10 districts of Suphanburi Province, recruited through proportionate sampling based on population size. The research instruments consisted of a personal data questionnaire, the Thai version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Parenting Stress Index, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from .84 to .98. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient, and logistic regression. The results revealed that the mean postpartum depression score was 6.66 (SD = 6.02), and the prevalence of postpartum depression was 25.5% (95% CI 19.2–33.1). All four variables were significantly correlated with postpartum depression (p < .001); postpartum stress was positively correlated (r = .61), whereas marital relationship (r = -.48), self-esteem (r = -.45), and social support (r = -.36) were negatively correlated. The four variables jointly predicted postpartum depression at a statistically significant level (Omnibus χ² (4) = 51.47, p < .001, Nagelkerke R² = .43), with an overall classification accuracy of 81.2%. After controlling for the effects of the other variables, only postpartum stress remained a significant predictor of postpartum depression (OR = 1.05, 95% CI 1.03–1.07, p < .001). These findings indicate that the prevalence of postpartum depression in Suphanburi Province is higher than that reported by the current surveillance system, and that postpartum stress is the most influential predictor. Health personnel should re-screen for postpartum depression at 4–6 weeks postpartum together with an assessment of parenting stress, and should develop nursing interventions aimed at reducing maternal stress with the active involvement of spouses.