Prevalence and Risk Factors of Postpartum Depressive Symptoms among Women from Al-Anbar Governorate, Iraq

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major health issue of concern to the population, and the occurrence of this condition among mothers is almost one in every five across the globe. This situation may impair women’s capacity to care for herself and her baby.Objectives: To determine the prevalence of PPD and the risk factors that are related to the prevalence in women in Al Anbar Governorate, Iraq.Materials and Methods: A total of 618 mothers eight weeks postpartum were recruited into a cross-sectional study that will be carried out at 23 primary health centers between February 2024 and February 2025. Structured interviews based on sociodemographic, obstetric, and psychosocial variables were used to collect the data with the help of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.Results: With a cut off of 11 or more, depressive symptoms were found in 42.4% of mothers. Notable predictors were ≥ 4 weeks postpartum (OR = 1.99, CI: 1.38–2.87, P-value < 0.001), adverse life events (OR = 1.80, CI: 1.22–2.64, P-value = 0.003), prenatal depressive symptoms (OR = 2.21, CI: 1.55–3.14, P-value = 0.001), lack of social support (OR = 2.49, CI: 1.62–3.83, P-value < 0.001), and irregular antenatal care (OR = 2.71, CI: 1.81–4.06, P-value < 0.001).Conclusions: The problem of PPD was extremely common among women in Al Anbar. This observation underscores the necessity to enhance maternal health provision, such as psychosocial support and improved education in the primary care environment.