Temporal Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence and Postpartum Depression in a Sample of Low Income Women

Abstract

To estimate whether there is a temporal association between Postpartum Depression (PPD) and intimate partner violence (IPV), and to assess the potential role of social support on this relationship. A cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2006 and March 2007 with 701 low income women who received prenatal and postpartum care in primary health care units of the public sector in São Paulo, Brazil. The Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20) was used to assess the presence of PPD. Structured standardized questionnaires were used to assess IPV and social support. The prevalence of PPD was estimated with a 95 % confidence interval. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios were calculated using Poisson regression to examine the association between PPD and exposure variables. Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The prevalence of PPD was 27.9 % (95 %CI 24.6:31.2). The prevalence of psychological IPV was 38.6 %, physical IPV 23.4 %, and sexual IPV 7.1 %. The multivariate analysis showed that PPD was strongly associated with current psychological and physical/sexual violence, after controlling for confounding factors, and less so with past (prenatal or lifetime) IPV. Presence of social support was an independent protective factor for PPD. Identifying and addressing intimate partner violence, including psychological violence, in the postpartum period should be considered as part of a comprehensive approach to caring for new mothers.

Perinatal Depression, Adverse Life Events, and Hypothalamic–Adrenal–Pituitary Axis Response to Cold Pressor Stress in Latinas: An Exploratory Study

“…As expected, we found that women with a history of any childhood ALE had generally higher depressive symptom scores at each of the pre- and postnatal time points but particularly so during the prenatal period. These findings support previous studies highlighting the vulnerability to PND in women with early life abuse histories (Alvarez-Segura et al, 2014; Buist & Janson, 2001; Faisal-Cury et al, 2013; Meltzer-Brody et al, 2013; Plaza et al, 2012; Rodríguez et al, 2010). …”

“…While PND is seen in up to 12–19% of women in the general population (Gavin et al, 2005), the occurrence of PND in Latinas living in the US has been estimated at 30–53% (Ceballos, Wallace, & Goodwin, 2016; Kieffer et al, 2013; Kuo et al, 2004; Lucero, Beckstrand, Callister, & Sanchez Birkhead, 2012; Mukherjee, Trepka, Pierre-Victor, Bahelah, & Avent, 2016; Zayas, Jankowski, & McKee, 2003). Although the causes of perinatal depression remain elusive, adverse life events (ALEs), such as childhood abuse and intimate partner violence, are potent risk factors for perinatal depression (Alvarez-Segura et al, 2014; Buist & Janson, 2001; Faisal-Cury, Menezes, d’Oliveira, Schraiber, & Lopes, 2013; Meltzer-Brody et al, 2013; Plaza et al, 2012; Rodríguez et al, 2010). …”

Intimate partner violence around the time of pregnancy and postpartum depression: The experience of women of Bangladesh

“…However, there appears to be some consistency in prevalence rates in a range of studies conducted in various developing countries. For example, the prevalence of PPD was 38.3% in Pakistan [86], 33.2% in Turkey [87], 33% in Vietnam [88], 33% in Zimbabwe [89] and 27.9% in Brazil [90]. Using the EPDS tool, limited PPD studies in Bangladesh reported the prevalence of PPD to be 22% at 6–8 weeks postpartum [52] and 32% at 6–8 months postpartum [91].…”

Having our say: African-American and Latina mothers provide recommendations to health and mental health providers working with new mothers living with postpartum depression

“…Intimate partner violence is highly correlated with increased postpartum depression (Faisal-Cury et al, 2013). However, social support from other informal support systems can serve as a buffer in the relationship between interpersonal violence and postpartum depression (Faisal-Cury et al, 2013).…”