The course of anxiety and depressive symptoms in Nigerian postpartum women

Abstract

Postnatal depression is mostly studied within the first 12 weeks postpartum and postnatal anxiety neglected. Using the Zung's self rating anxiety and depression scales in a repeated cross sectional study of postpartum women we found both anxiety and depressive symptoms more in first 8-weeks postpartum with a gradual decline in later postpartum period. Anxiety is more common than depression in the first 4-weeks with reversal of the trend subsequently. Both symptoms may persist till late postpartum period.

Prevalence and risk factors for comorbid postpartum depressive symptomatology and anxiety

“…The results of this study are consistent with previous research where the prevalence of comorbid postpartum depressive symptomatology and anxiety in the first year postpartum ranged between 3% and 10% (Adewuya and Afolabi, 2005;Giakoumaki et al, 2009;Miller et al, 2015) and that of clinically defined comorbidity ranged between 2% and 13% (Austin et al, 2010;Reck et al, 2008;Tavares et al, 2012a). Women with postpartum depressive symptomatology are also more likely to experience anxiety postnatally than women without any depressive symptomatology (Reck et al, 2008;Zietlow et al, 2014).…”

Common perinatal mental disorders in northern Viet Nam: community prevalence and health care use

“…While their overall prevalence resembled the prevalence found in communitybased investigations in Nigeria (32.2%) 27 and Pakistan (28% to 36%), 4,28 we found a clear social gradient in which prevalence was much higher in a poor rural setting than in an urban one. Common perinatal mental disorders in women are governed by multiple factors.…”

Prevalence and determinants of common perinatal mental disorders in women in low- and lower-middle-income countries: a systematic review

“…For example, some studies excluded women who were illiterate 34 or unable to speak the researchers' language 11,12,14,20,40,41,46,[52][53][54] or who had a personal or family history of psychiatric problems. 15,21,22,26,41,49,52,55 Such studies may have underestimated prevalence.…”

“…Most studies (31/41, 76%) investigated risk and protective factors, while the remainder 11,12,29,33,35,41,42,44,54,56 only reported prevalence data. Potential risk factors for CPMDs in women in lowand middle-income countries reflected diverse conceptual frameworks and differed between studies.…”

“…12,19 Differences in the risk factors and protective factors found in the various studies reflect the use of different data sources (i.e. survey instruments containing either one or several study-specific questions) and standardized measures.…”