| Abstract [eng] |
Marija Rylskienė: Postpartum Depression – Prevalence, Clinic and Treatment. Aim of the study: To assess the features of postpartum depression among women. Objectives: 1. To prepare a questionnaire to assess the likelihood of postpartum depression in women who have given birth. 2. To examine 110 women who have given birth and evaluate the characteristics of their depression. 3. To conduct an analysis and identify the correlation between the occurrence of postpartum depression and participants' age, level of education, marital status, place of residence, number of childbirths, and family history of depression. 4. To evaluate women's opinions on the causes of postpartum depression and the available treatment options. Methods: In the study was used a questionnaire survey method. An anonymous online survey was conducted from 2025 January 15 to February 28 by publishing the questionnaire in Facebook groups related to mothers and newborns. The questionnaire consisted of demographic indicators, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and several questions reflecting women's attitudes toward postpartum depression as an illness and its treatment. Results: The survey included 111 women, the majority of whom (48.6%) were between the ages of 31 and 40. The majority of the surveyed women—73 (65.8%), had given birth within the past year (2–12 months ago). More than one-third of the women (n=44; 39.6%) who answered the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale questions were found to be at high risk for postpartum depression. No statistically significant association was found between the risk of postpartum depression and maternal age (p=0.073), education (p=0.838), number of births (p=0.876), marital status at the time of childbirth (p=0.779), place of residence (p=0.707), or receiving support from close relatives (p=0.502). Women with self-harm thoughts (p<0.001) and a family history of postpartum depression (p=0.002) have a higher risk of developing postpartum depression. According to the participants, postpartum depression is not caused by a single cause, but by a combination of them. The most common reasons were: stress (n=100; 90.1%); hormonal changes (n=99; 89.2%); lack of sleep (n=94; 84.7%). The majority of respondents (n=82; 73.9%) describe postpartum depression as a severe psychological condition for which the most appropriate treatment method is personal psychotherapy (n=98; 88.3%). Conclusions: 1. More than a third of the women in the study (39.6%) had clear symptoms of postpartum depression. 2. Based on the opinions of the study participants, the most frequently identified causes of postpartum depression include stress associated with childbirth and childcare, hormonal fluctuations during and after pregnancy, and sleep deprivation. 3. Mothers who had thoughts of self-harm had a higher likelihood of developing postpartum depression. 4. Participants with no family history of postpartum depression demonstrated a significantly lower risk of its development. 5. The majority of survey participants indicated that individual psychotherapy would be the preferred first-line treatment for postpartum depression. |
