Postpartum depression in mothers of newborns admitted to the neonatal unit of a secondary hospital in the Federal District
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51723/hrj.v7i35.1237Keywords:
Depression, Pregnancy, Risk factors, Prenatal care, Postpartum periodAbstract
Objective: To evaluate the incidence of maternal postpartum depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), along with a questionnaire composed of 16 questions to assess sociodemographic aspects of the study population. Methodology: This is an observational, analytical, cross-sectional study conducted between July 20 and 31, 2025, including 70 postpartum women aged 18 to 45 years. For assessment, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was applied, considering a cutoff score above 12, in addition to a sociodemographic questionnaire. Data were analyzed using adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals. The estimated prevalence of risk for PPD was 34.3%, with neonatal hospitalization (OR = 3.57), history of aggression during pregnancy (OR = 5.90), and previous psychological disorder (OR = 6.67) identified as significantly associated factors. Results: Findings indicate that PPD has a high frequency in this context, and that infant hospitalization, experience of violence during pregnancy, and a history of mental disorders are important risk factors. Conclusion: These results highlight the need for intensified clinical attention and the development of preventive strategies aimed at this population group, as well as the importance of psychological support during the puerperal period. Study limitations include the small sample size and its single-center design.
References
Perosa GB, Silveira FCP, Canavez IC. Ansiedade e depressão de mães de recém-nascidos com malformações visíveis. Psicol Teor Pesqui. 2008;24(1):29-35. Disponível em: https://www.scielo.br/j/ptp/a/BGrZKPPTpSN7NjrN8r94xrS/
Oliveira TA, Luzetti GGCM, Rosalém MMA, Mariani Neto C. Screening of perinatal depression using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2022;44(5):452-457. Available from: https://www.scielo.br/j/rbgo/a/zJvM7YKPSB4hPJ9FyKyQk9c/
Montanhaur CD, Rodrigues OMPR, Arenales NG. Saúde emocional materna e tempo de internação de neonatos. Aletheia. 2021;54(1):55-63. Disponível em: http://pepsic.bvsalud.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-03942021000100007
Orlandini PO, Possobon RF, Raven FGC, Cortellazzi KL. Depressão pós-parto segundo a Escala de Edimburgo. In: Anais do XXIX Congresso de Iniciação Científica da UNICAMP; 2021; Campinas, Brasil. Campinas: Galoá; 2021. Disponível em: https://proceedings.science/unicamp-pibic/pibic-2021/trabalhos/depressao-pos-parto-segundo-a-escaladeedimburgo
Costa TM et al. Prevalência de sintomas depressivos pós-parto em puérperas durante a pandemia de COVID-19 em Minas Gerais. Int Neuropsychiatr Dis J. 2025;20(3):1-8. Disponível em: https://journalindj.com/index.php/INDJ/article/view/464
Vilarim M, Rebelo F, Vieira I, Mazzoli F, Carta MG, Nardi AE et al. Prevalence of postpartum depression symptoms in high-income, and low- and middle-income countries in the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Braz J Psychiatry. 2024. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38343174/
Sahebi A, Kheiry M, Abdi K, Qomi M, Golitaleb M. Postpartum depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: an umbrella review and meta-analyses. Front Psychiatry. 2024;15:1393737. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1393737
Alhusen JL, Ray E, Sharps P, Bullock L. Intimate partner violence during pregnancy: maternal and neonatal outcomes. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2015;24(1):100-106. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4361157/
Beydoun HA, Beydoun MA, Kaufman JS, Lo B, Zonderman AB. Intimate partner violence against adult women and its association with major depressive disorder, depressive symptoms and postpartum depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Soc Sci Med. 2012;75(6):959-975. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22694991/
O’Hara MW, McCabe JE. Postpartum depression: current status and future directions. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2013;9:379-407. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050212-185612
Howard LM, Molyneaux E, Dennis CL, Rochat T, Stein A, Milgrom J. Non-psychotic mental disorders in the perinatal period. Lancet. 2014;384(9956):1775-1788. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25455248/
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Letícia de Carvalho Brito, Geraldo Magela Fernandes, Estevão Oliveira Carvalho, João Ricardo Nogueira Perez
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Esta licença permite que outros distribuam, remixem, adaptem e desenvolvam seu trabalho, mesmo comercialmente, desde que atribuam crédito à revista pela criação original.
