Evaluation of post partum depression in a tertiary hospital.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of different factors with postpartum depression. METHODS A prospective study conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College, Kolkata. Six thousand patients, 4-7 days postpartum, were interrogated using Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Sociodemographic factors (age, parity, literacy, socioeconomic status, marital status and family structure), history of psychiatric disorder and abuse, mode of delivery and obstetric outcome were recorded. The results were analyzed statistically using Chi-square test. RESULTS Incidence of PPD was 25%. Significant association of PPD was seen with poor socioeconomic group (P < 0.05), literacy (P < 0.001), nuclear family structure (P < 0.05), single mother (P < 0.001), past history of psychiatric illness (P < 0.001), history of abuse (P < 0.05), and poor obstetric outcome (P < 0.001). Age, parity and method of delivery showed no association. CONCLUSION EPDS should be used routinely to screen for PPD among high risk cases.