The role of adverse childhood experience and social support type in postpartum depression in Turkey

Abstract

Background: Improved knowledge of causal and protective factors is crucial for Postpartum depression (PPD) prevention and management. Aims: To investigate the relationship between adverse childhood experience (ACE), perceived social support and PPD in a middle-income non-Western country, and to investigate which type of ACE and which sources of social support were associated with PPD. Methods: The study was cross-sectional study and conducted in a one center from Turkey during March-June 2019. Women up to 1-week postpartum were included in the study. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), a validated ACE questionnaire, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were completed. Results: Nine hundred women took part in the study. The proportion identified with PPD and ACE were 10% and 8.8%, respectively. In bivariate analysis, having previous PPD, unwanted pregnancy, insufficient antenatal care, low family income, history of ACE, and perception of low social support were associated with PPD (p < 0.05). Family support was perceived as beneficial, in both women with no history or ≥2 instances of ACE. However, perceived support from friends and/or a special person was lowest in the ≥2 ACE group (p < 0.05). In logistic regression, unwanted pregnancy, emotional abuse, and neglect, incarceration of a household member, and poor special person support were factors significantly associated with developing PPD (p = 0.005). Conclusions: Emotional abuse, neglect, household dysfunction, and perceived poor support from a special person were risk factors for PPD. A history of maternal childhood trauma and poor social support might indicate the need for early PPD interventions.

The effects of family function, relationship satisfaction, and dyadic adjustment on postpartum depression

“…In a meta-analysis study, similarly, it was revealed that being a housewife, husband's not working, and being in a poor economic situation were associated with postpartum depression in women (Alshikh Ahmad et al, 2021). In addition, mothers who had psychological problems in the postpartum period, had marital problems, and were exposed to physical violence by their spouses were found to have a high risk of PPD, and this finding is consistent with previous studies (Goldfarb & Trudel, 2019;Ilter Bahadur et al, 2021;Obrochta et al, 2020).…”

“…The result that one out of every five mothers showed depressive symptoms requiring treatment is consistent with the literature. In studies conducted in Turkey using the same scale, the prevalence of PPD varies between 10% and 23.3% (Ilter Bahadur et al, 2021; Palancı & Aktaş, 2021; Yücesoy & Erbi, 2021). In a meta‐analysis study conducted in Turkey, the prevalence of PPD was found to be 24% (Karaçam et al, 2018), and in a systematic review study, it was found to vary between 15.4% and 51.3% (Üstgörül & Yanıkkerem, 2017).…”

“…A 22‐item structured questionnaire prepared by the researchers in line with the relevant literature was used as one of the data collection tools (Çankaya, 2020; Ilter Bahadur et al, 2021). The data collection form included items about age, education level, employment status, spouse's age, spouse's employment status, income perception, family type, marriage year, marriage decision, marital problems, physical and emotional violence, number of living children, the state of experiencing a psychological‐psychological problem during pregnancy and postpartum period, the desired pregnancy status, the time passed after the last birth, the status of receiving support from the spouse in matters such as breastfeeding, baby care, and housework in the postpartum period.…”

Childhood abuse and perinatal outcomes for mother and child: A systematic review of the literature

“…The risk nearly quadrupled for those with a joint history of CSA and CPY and increased to more than nine times if they experienced child abuse and IPV during pregnancy. Bahadur et al [86] noted that CEA increased the risk of PPD nearly seven-fold after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, whereas CPA and CSA were not significant. However, a larger Australian study [87] showed a similar but lower risk for CEA (aOR = 1.4).…”