Postpartum-onset major depression is associated with personality disorders
Key points
- The objective of the study was to investigate the incidence rate of postpartum-onset major depression (PPMD) and to examine associated sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric factors, and personality disorders.
- The study data were obtained from 302 women who delivered at a child and maternity hospital.
- Nineteen (6.3%) women had new-onset major depression during 6 weeks postpartum.
- Our results suggest that childbearing women with avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders have increased risk of new-onset major depression during the postpartum period.
The objective of the study was to investigate the incidence rate of postpartum-onset major depression (PPMD) and to examine associated sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric factors, and personality disorders.
Method
The study data were obtained from 302 women who delivered at a child and maternity hospital. We interviewed the new mothers on the first day of their childbirth and at 6 weeks postpartum. Major depression and axis II diagnoses were determined by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, and the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition, Personality Disorders, respectively.
Results
Nineteen (6.3%) women had new-onset major depression during 6 weeks postpartum. Postpartum-onset major depression was unrelated to age, educational level, employment status, planned or unplanned pregnancy, history of abortion and gestational complications, term of delivery, type of delivery, sex of the baby, and mother's breast-feeding. Frequency of primiparity and of avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders was higher in women with PPMD than that in women without PPMD. As a result of logistic regression analysis, the independent predictor of PPMD was the presence of avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders.
Conclusion
Our results suggest that childbearing women with avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders have increased risk of new-onset major depression during the postpartum period.
Cemal Akmana, Faruk Uguz and Nazmiye Kayaa
Department of Psychiatry, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Meram Konya 42080, Turkey
Written and revised by
Gerald Hurowitz, M.D.
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