A Study on Postnatal Depression: More Prevalent and Less Addressed Issue

Introduction: Postnatal depression (PND) is a public health problem exhibiting the strongest link to adverse child outcomes and also maternal morbidity.Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is considered well accepted screening tool for postpartum depression (PPD).Objectives: To determine the prevalence of postnatal depression and to validate the EPDS as a screening tool for postpartum depression in tertiary care hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka.Methodology: A cross sectional analytical study conducted in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangalore, Karnataka among 150 women between 2 to 6 weeks of postpartum period.The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is used as screening tool identifying patients at risk for postnatal depression.Data is collected by interview method and analyzed using SPSS.Possible depression is suggested by a score of 10 or greater; while values equal to 13 or more are invariably associated with depression.Results: This study revealed postnatal depression to be 23 (15.2%) among the study participants according to EPDS score >10.Statistical Analysis revealed significant association of socio demographic factors like type of family, obstetric factors like mode of delivery, type of delivery, complications in pregnancy and other factors like low mood during pregnancy.Conclusion This study we found the prevalence of post partum depression to be 15.2%.Development of a routine screening program to screen all post natal women using a validated screening tool can be really helpful in timely interventions when needed.