Key result
Attending a two-week postpartum health checkup was associated with a significantly lower prevalence of postpartum depression at one month compared to no checkup (8.9% vs. 13.8%; aOR 0.502, p<0.001).
Why the study?
Postpartum depression is a significant public health concern with adverse outcomes for mothers and offspring, motivating evaluation of whether a two-week postpartum health checkup is associated with lower depression prevalence at one month.
Does a two-week postpartum health checkup reduce the prevalence of postpartum depression at one month in women who delivered full-term singleton babies?
Cohort (n=6,681)
No
Does a two-week postpartum health checkup reduce the prevalence of postpartum depression at one month in women who delivered full-term singleton babies?
Odds Ratio: 0.502
Absolute Event Rate: 8.9% vs 13.8%
p-value: p=<0.001
A two-week postpartum health checkup is associated with a significantly lower risk of postpartum depression at one month, suggesting its value for early identification and intervention.
Two-week postpartum checkups were associated with lower PPD risk; leaves open whether routine adoption reduces incidence in broader populations.
BACKGROUND: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant public health concern with adverse outcomes for both mothers and offspring. This study examined the association between a two-week postpartum health checkup (HC) and PPD prevalence at one month. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study from Japan included 6681 women who delivered full-term singleton babies between January 1, 2012, and August 31, 2021. The HC group received a two-week HC from January 2019, whereas those who delivered before this period were in the non-HC (control) group. PPD was assessed using the Japanese version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at discharge and one month postpartum. Logistic regression analysis identified factors associated with an EPDS score ≥ 9 at one month postpartum. RESULTS: The average maternal age of participants was 32.5 ± 5.6 years; 51.8 % (n = 3463) were primiparous, and 27.8 % (n = 1856) were in the HC group. The HC group demonstrated a significantly lower proportion of women with EPDS score ≥ 9 at one month postpartum than the non-HC group (8.9 % vs. 13.8 %, p < 0.001). Factors associated with an EPDS score ≥ 9 at one month postpartum included attending the two-week postpartum HC (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.502, p < 0.001), EPDS score at discharge (aOR = 5.574, p < 0.001), psychiatric disorder history (aOR = 2.732, p < 0.001), cesarean section (aOR = 0.762, p = 0.006), and exclusive formula feeding (aOR = 1.368, p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Two-week postpartum HC was associated with a lower prevalence of PPD risk at one month postpartum. Early postpartum HC may be valuable for identifying women at risk of PPD and supporting timely interventions.
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Kawajiri et al. (2025) conducted a cohort in Postpartum depression (n=6,681). Two-week postpartum health checkup vs. No two-week postpartum health checkup (non-HC group) was evaluated on EPDS score ≥ 9 at one month postpartum (aOR 0.502, p=<0.001). Attending a two-week postpartum health checkup was associated with a significantly lower prevalence of postpartum depression at one month compared to no checkup (8.9% vs. 13.8%; aOR 0.502, p<0.001).
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