TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2007//
TI  - Factors associated with depressive symptoms among postnatal women in Nepal
JO  - Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica
A1  - Ho-Yen, Signe Dorheim
A1  - Bondevik, Gunnar Tschudi
A1  - Eberhard-Gran, Malin
A1  - Bjorvatn, Bjorn
SP  - 291
EP  - 297
VL  - 86
IS  - 3
N2  - BACKGROUND: Depression after childbirth affects both the mother and her infant. In South-Asia, maternal depression might also contribute to poor infant growth. Knowledge of risk factors could improve the health workers' recognition of depression. AIM: To examine possible risk factors for depression in the postnatal period among women in one clinical, one urban and one rural population in Lalitpur district, Nepal. METHOD: A total of 426 postnatal women were included in a cross-sectional structured interview study, 5-10 weeks after delivery. Depressive symptoms were measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS]. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed that depression (EPDS>12) was strongly associated with husband's alcoholism, polygamy and previous depression. Other significant factors were stressful life events, multiparity, smoking and depression during pregnancy. There was a non-significant trend of lower depressive scores among women living in arranged marriages, and among women practicing the tradition of staying in their maternal home after delivery. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to previously documented risk factors, traditional family structures may influence the risk of depression among postnatal women in Nepal.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0001-6349
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00016340601110812
ID  - ref1
ER  -