Authors
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Women are subject to postpartum depression in the childbearing age which is associated with aerious somplications for the mother infant and the family. Its cause is not known. Many studies have the effect of psychosocial factors in this regard but there is meager information on the biological grounds. Recently anemia has been on the focus as causing depression. This study was conducted to determine the the relationship between anemia and postpartum depression.
Methods and Materials: This prospective descripe-anlytical study was conducted on the population of women admitted to the Fatemiyyeh Health Center affiliated to Hamadan University of Medical Sciences Iran in 2006. The study sample included 159 normal (non depressed confirmed by the Beck test) pregnant women who were selected by convenient non-probability methods. With a gestational age of 38-40 weeks they were divided into two groups of anemics and non-anemics by their hemoglubin levels (measured by Cyan Matt). They were homegenized as for the confounders. On the 7th and 28th days after labor their hemoglubin was measred again. On the 28th day they completed the Edinburgh Questionnaire. The relationship between their postpartum depression and anemia was assessed three times. Chi-square t-test Mann Whitney and the relative risk tests were used in SPSS to analyze the obatained data.
Results: 14.6% of the non-anemics and 38.6% of the anemics (measured on the 38-40 weeks) were found t obe depressed on the 28th day after delivery and anemia had increased the chances of postpartum depression by 1.8 times 14.8% of the non-anemics and 35.9% of the anemics (measured on the 7th day after labor) were depressed on the 28th day and anemia had increased the chances of postpartum depression by 1.7 times. Also 11.5% of the non-anemics and 46% of the anemics (measured on the 28th day after labor) were depressed after labor. Anemia had increased the chances of postpartum depression by 2.5 times.
Conclusion: It seems that anemia in the 38-40 weeks of gestation on the 7th and 28th days after labor can increase the likelihood of postpartum depression.
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