Meta-Analysis: The Association between Social Support and Postpartum Depression

Background: After delivery of psychological disorder otherwise appropriately and immediately handled may lead to postpartum depression (PPD). PPD has a serious impact on mothers that manifests as lower quality of life and inability to care of themselves, their partner, and infants. There is a lack of studies on PPD in Indonesia. Its prevalence and determinants are not well-understood. This study sought to estimate the prevalence and the determinants of PPD in Sukoharjo, Central Java. Subjects and Method: This was an analytic observational study with a cross-sectional design. The study was conducted at community health centers in Sukoharjo District, Central Java, from November to December 2017. A total sample of 200 postpartum mothers was selected for this study using cluster random sampling, with a community health center as the cluster. The dependent variable was PPD. The independent variables were maternal age, parity, labor complication, maternal education, self-efficacy, family income, coping strategy, unwanted pregnancy, and family support. The data were collected by questionnaire and analyzed by path analysis. Results: PPD prevalence in Sukoharjo, Central Java, was 18.5%. The risk of PPD increased with labor complication (b= 3.14, SE= 0.45, p<0.001), unwanted pregnancy (b= 1.54, SE= 0.45, p<0.001), and low family income (b= -0.05, SE= 0.01, p<0.001). The risk of PPD decreased with age (b= -0.07, SE= 0.03, p= 0.028), stronger self-efficacy (b= -0.55, SE= 0.09, p<0.001), and improved coping strategy (b= -0.56, SE= 0.03, p= 0.064). PPD was indirectly affected by younger age, parity, weaker family support, lower family income, coping strategy, and maternal education. Conclusion: PPD prevalence is 18.5% in Sukoharjo, Central Java. The risk of PPD increases with labor complication, unwanted pregnancy, and low family income, but decreases with age, stronger self-efficacy, and improved coping strategy. Keyword: prevalence, postpartum depression, determinant, path analysis Correspondence: Ryanwati Putriarsih. Masters Program in Public Health, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Jl. Ir. Sutami 36 A, Surakarta 57126, Central Java. Email: puuputriana@gmail.com. Mobile: +6281393085790 Journal of Maternal and Child Health (2018), 3(1): 395-408 https://doi.org/10.26911/thejmch.2017.03.01.02

The relation between place of residence and risk of postpartum depression is uncertain. We evaluated the relation between place of residence and risk of postpartum depression in a population-based sample of Canadian women. Female postpartum respondents to the 2006 Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey (n=6126) were classified as living in rural (<1000 inhabitants or population density<400/km2), semirural (nonrural but <30,000 inhabitants), semiurban (30 000-499 999 inhabitants) or urban (≥500,000 inhabitants) areas. We further subdivided women living in rural areas based on the social and occupational connectivity of their community to larger urban centres. We compared the prevalence of postpartum depression (score of ≥13 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) across these groups and adjusted for the effect of known risk factors for postpartum depression. The prevalence of postpartum depression was higher among women living in urban areas than among those living in rural, semirural or semiurban areas. The difference between semiurban and urban areas could not be fully explained by other measured risk factors for postpartum depression (adjusted odds ratio 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.42-0.84). In rural areas, there was a nonsignificant gradient of risk: women with less connection to larger urban centres were at greater risk of postpartum depression than women in areas with greater connection. There are systematic differences in the distribution of risk factors for postpartum depression across geographic areas, resulting in an increased risk of depression among women living in large urban areas. Prevention programs directed at modifiable risk factors (e.g., social support) could specifically target women living in these areas to reduce the rates of postpartum depression.

BackgroundMothers of infants with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) are at an elevated risk of postpartum depression due to emotional challenges associated with the condition. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of depression and its influential factors in mothers of infants with CL/P within 1 year postpartum.MethodsThis study used an interpretive sequential mixed research design, incorporating the psychological-social-cultural model to understand the phenomenon under investigation. A quantitative survey was conducted from February to August 2023, involving 254 mothers of infants with CL/P from two hospitals in China, to investigate the prevalence of depression within 1 year postpartum and its influential factors. Subsequently, qualitative interviews were performed to gain insights into how these factors affect postpartum depression within this specific population.ResultsThe prevalence of depression among mothers of infants with CL/P was 23.6% within 1 year postpartum, peaking at 33.3% between 4 and 6 months postpartum. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that mothers of infants with CL/P with a history of adverse pregnancies are more likely to experience depression (odds ratio (OR) = 5.713, p<0.001). Mothers without postpartum caregiving support were significantly more likely to experience postpartum depression (OR = 1, p = 0.004) compared to those who received care from family members (OR = 1.219) or nannies (OR = 1.166). Increased parenting stress was also associated with a higher likelihood of depression (OR = 1.267, p < 0.001). In contrast, mothers with greater social support were less likely to develop postpartum depression (OR = 0.970, p = 0.041). Cultural factors also play a role in shaping postpartum depression among mothers of infants with CL/P. This relationship is complex, involving both adherence to traditional customs and the conflicts that arise between these customs and modern health practices.ConclusionPostpartum depression is more prevalent among mothers of infants with CL/P compared to mothers of infants without CL/P. Mothers with adverse pregnancy history, lack of caregiver support, and increased parenting stress were found to have a greater risk of postpartum depression. Conversely, higher levels of social support were associated with a reduced likelihood of experiencing postpartum depression. The influences of cultural factors on postpartum depression are complex, and they also shape an individual’s social support in multiple ways. Regular prenatal evaluations are recommended to mitigate psychological burdens. Furthermore, family members should provide comprehensive support, and social groups are encouraged to arrange multifaceted assistance to families facing the challenges of caring for infants with CL/P.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-025-07991-5.

Background: Studies show that the risk for depression is lower in individuals who report stronger social support compared to those with weaker social support. This meta-analysis aimed to estimate the magnitude of the effect of social support on depression in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Subjects and Method: This meta-analysis was conducted using the PRISMA flow diagram. The PICO research question was as follows. Population: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Intervention: Strong social support. Comparison: Weak social support. Outcome: Depression. The articles were searched from databases Google Scholar, PubMed, Research Gate, and Science Direct. Keywords used “Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus” OR” T2DM” OR ”Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus” AND “Social Support” OR “Family Support” OR “Peer Support” AND “Depression”. The inclusion criteria were a cross-sectional study, English language, and published from 2015 to 2022. The articles were analyzed using RevMan 5.3. Results: The meta-analysis included 9 cross-sectional studies from China, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and the United States of America. The total sample size was 3,867 patients. Strong social support decreased the risk of depression in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (OR= 0.69; 95% CI= 0.53 to 0.88; p=0.003). Conclusion: Strong social support reduces the risk of depression in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

Background: Hypertension is a condition that causes a person to experience a drastic rise in blood pressure. Social support and self-efficacy are needed to improve skills, self-confidence and a sense of security for patients to be more compliant with taking medication. This study aimed to analyze the effect of social support and self-efficacy on medication adherence in hypertensive patients.Subjects and Method: This study is a meta-analysis using PICO, namely population: hypertensive patients; Intervention: good social support, good self-efficacy; Comparison: low social support, low self-efficacy; Result: medication adherence. The articles used in this study were obtained from two databases, namely PubMed and Google Scholar. Keywords in the article search “social cognitive theory (SCT)” AND “self efficacy“ AND ”social support “AND” hypertension” AND “medication adhe-rence”, cross-sectional. The included article is full English with a cross-sectional study design for 2012–2022 and reports the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) in multivariate analysis. Selection of articles using the PRISMA flowchart. Article analysis using the Review Manager 5.3 application.Results: 7 articles with a cross-sectional study involving 708 people with hypertension from 2 conti-nents namely Asia and Africa for systematic review and meta-analysis. The data collected showed that hypertensive patients with strong social support were twice as likely to adhere to medication as hypertensive patients with weak social support (aOR= 2.16; 95%CI= 1.82 to 2.57; p &lt;0.001), Hyper-tensive patients with self-efficacy Those who are strong are more likely to adhere to medication twice than hypertensive patients with weak self-efficacy (aOR= 2.11; 95% CI = 1.27 to 3.52; p &lt;0.004).Conclusion: Social support and self-efficacy improve medication adherence in hypertensive patients. Keywords: social support, self-efficacy, social cognitive theory, hypertension, medication adherence Correspondence:Sukma. Masters Program in Public Health, Universitas Sebelas Maret. Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A, Surakarta, Central Java 57126, Indonesia. Email: sukmadenny1402@gmail.com. Mobile: +6281254428800.

Postpartum depression is a major mental health disorder that can negatively affect both mother and baby. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic associated with extreme measures of the lockdown had profound effects on humanity, increasing the rates of anxiety and depression, especially among women in the postpartum period. The aim of this study was threefold: to determine the prevalence of postpartum depression, to compare the prevalence of postpartum depression at two different times during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to assess a possible association between the timing of childbirth in a given period of the pandemic and the risk of postpartum depression. A cross-sectional study involving 154 women who were interviewed immediately postpartum, using the EPDS scale, was conducted at the Timisoara Municipal Hospital, Romania at two different periods during the COVID-19 pandemic (March–April 2020 during the first wave and August–September 2021 during the fourth wave). The overall prevalence of postpartum depression (EPDS score > 13) was 18.8%, with a statistically significantly higher rate among participants surveyed during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania; the COVID-19 pandemic represents an impact on women’s mental health in the postpartum period, increasing the risk of developing postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression is a common and serious mental health problem which is associated with maternal distress and negative consequences for the offspring. Research confirms the presence of differences in the prevalence of postpartum depression in different social groups. The aim of this study was to compare the severity of maternal symptoms in Poland and Zimbabwe and to identify risk factors occurring in both groups. The survey was conducted in 2022 among mothers who gave birth at the Department of Neonatology and Rare Diseases and at the Mpilo Central Hospital Maternity Clinic. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to assess the risk of postnatal depression. A total of 945 patients were included. The study indicated statistically significant differences in the percentage of women with an increased risk of postpartum depression, with the percentage for the Polish group being 13.54 % and the Zimbabwean group 35.74 %. For the Zimbabwean group, the risk of depression was associated with a problem in obtaining breastmilk and these were women in informal partnerships or those without a stable partner. In the group of Polish patients there was evidence of a correlation between increased risk and having a stable, non-formalised relationship. According to the analysis, women in Zimbabwe are more likely to be at risk of postpartum depression than Polish women. PPD remains an important issue in obstetric practice, and it is necessary to sensitize health care personnel to the risk of PPD to make timely and appropriate clinical interventions.

Postpartum depression is a significant health problem that negatively affects maternal and fetal health and should be carefully evaluated by health professionals in extraordinary situations such as disasters and pandemics. This study aimed to examine the effects of fear of COVID-19, perceived social support, and some socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics of women on the risk of postpartum depression during the pandemic period using path analysis. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 226 women over 18 years of age, literate, gave birth at term, were between 2 weeks and a year postpartum, could use smartphones, and had not had COVID-19. The data were collected using the instruments Personal Information Form, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Data were collected via online survey method between 14 November 2020 and 30 December 2020. The prevalence of risk of postpartum depression was 35.8%. The mean FCV-19S score was 19.72 ± 6.75, the mean MSPSS score was 56.69 ± 17.49, and the mean EPDS score was 10.03 ± 6.21. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that risk factors associated with postpartum depression risk in postpartum women during the pandemic family type (OR: 0.316, p = 0.05), satisfaction with childbirth experience (OR: 5.907, p = 0.003), fear of COVID-19 (OR: 1.104, p < 0.001), and perceived social support (OR: 0.942, p < 0.001). According to the path analysis, the χ2/degree of freedom value of the model is 1.35 and GFI: 0.99, AGFI: 0.96, CFI: 0.98, RMSEA: 0.040, NFI: 0.94, NNFI: 0.93, SRMR: 0.041 for path analysis. Path analysis revealed that having a nuclear family (β = 1.33), perceived social support (β = -0.13), having a history of depression (β = 3.61), fear of COVID-19 (β = 0.14), and satisfaction with the birth experience (β = -2.56) had a direct negative effect on the risk of PPD during the pandemic. The findings suggest that strengthening social support, helping her cope with the fear of COVID-19, having a good birth process, and reasonable evaluation of their mental health history can alleviate the risk of PPD during the pandemic period. On the other hand, our findings may guide the development of prevention and intervention approaches for factors that directly and indirectly affect women's PPD risk during the pandemic period.

Postpartum depression is a form of major depression that is characterised by persistent feelings of sadness and anxiety following childbirth. Despite its significant impact on maternal and child well-being, the prevalence and predictors of postpartum depression remain understudied, particularly in diverse socioeconomic contexts. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of postpartum depression amongst different socioeconomic groups with the goal of identifying potential prevention and intervention strategies. In this study, the correlation between socioeconomic status (SES) and postpartum depression was examined using 24 peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2024 using Google Scholar and PubMed databases. The findings for this review highlight the significant correlation between lower SES and higher prevalence of postpartum depression, driven by factors such as income, education, antenatal education, and employment status. While being below the median SES is associated with an increased risk of postpartum depression, the relationship between higher SES and postpartum depression risk remains unclear, warranting further research to be done. In addition, our findings may be impacted by publication bias and confounding variables such as race and culture.

Employment, income, and education and risk of postpartum depression: The Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study

Few studies have compared the influencing factors of postpartum depression between primiparous and multiparous women. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of postpartum depression in primiparous and multiparous women, and provide reference suggestions for clinical nursing. A total of 429 postpartum women who gave birth at a Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Shandong Province, China, from April to June 2024, were recruited by convenience sampling. A Sociodemographic Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Perceived Social Support Scale were used for investigation. SPSS 26.0 was used to analyze the data, and multivariate regression was employed to analyze the influencing factors of postpartum depression between primiparous and multiparous women. The total prevalence of postpartum depression among 429 postpartum women (191 primiparas and 238 multiparas) was 22.14%. The prevalence of postpartum depression among primiparous and multiparous women were 21.99% and 22.27%, respectively, with no statistically significant difference [OR=1.016, 95% CI (0.642, 1.608)]. Sleep quality is a common protective factor for postpartum depression in both primiparous and multiparous women, while perceived social support is another protective factor for multiparous women. The risk factors are different in both two group, there is no risk factor found in primiparous women, the newborns health and women's expectation on newborns gender are risk factors for postpartum depression in multiparous women. Both primiparous and multiparous women have a high risk of postpartum depression. In order to promote the mental health of postpartum women, precise nursing measures should be adopted for different parity of postpartum women in clinical practice.

PURPOSE: to assess the prevalence of the risk of post-partum depression in women in the post-natal ward of a hospital in Sao Paulo city, in the southeastern region of Brazil, and analyze the associated factors, including domestic violence (DV). METHODS: this was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The participants were 133 women with at least 20 weeks of gestation age, who delivered their babies from August to September 2005 in a tertiary maternity in the city of Sao Paulo (Brazil). They were interviewed using the Portuguese version of the Abuse Assessment Screen for the diagnosis of violence and filled out a self-evaluation questionnaire for post-partum depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale). Variables were presented as absolute and relative frequencies. The c2 or Fisher exact tests were used to analyze possible associations between the variables of interest and post-partum depression. The value of 5% was considered significant. RESULTS: risk for post-partum depression was detected in 24 women (18%). A total of 38.3% of the participants interviewed had a history of abuse. There was an association between DV after they were 15 years old and risk of depression (p=0.036). The prevalence of abuse in the group of women at risk for post-partum depression was 58.3% and this was significantly higher than the 33.9% observed in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: the probability of presenting depression was high among the post-partum women attended at a tertiary maternity in the southeast of Brazil. The DV after they were 15 years old was significantly associated with risk of post-partum depression.

Background: Antenatal depression is a type of depression that occurs during pregnancy and affects about 20% of pregnant women. This study aims to analyse the effects and estimate the magnitude of the effects of social support, intimate partner violence and pregnancy status on the incidence of antenatal depression with a meta-analysis. Subject and Method: The meta-analysis was performed using a PRISMA flowchart and a PICO model. Population: pregnant women. Intervention: strong social support, experiencing violence by intimate partners, and planned pregnancy status. Comparison: weak social support, no violence by intimate partners, and unplanned pregnancy status. Outcome: antenatal depression. The online databases used are Google Scholar, Hindawi, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and ResearchGate. There were 17 cross-sectional studies published in 2018-2023 that met the inclusion criteria. Analysis was done with RevMan 5.3. Results: Meta-analysis was conducted on 17 cross-sectional studies from Australia, Thailand, Nepal, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Norway, and Jamaica. Sample size = 11,517 study subjects. The risk of antenatal depression increases with intimate partner violence (aOR= 2.13; CI 95%= 1.65 to 2.74; p&lt;0.001). The risk of antenatal depression decreased with strong societal support (aOR= 0.47; CI 95%= 0.38 to 0.58; p&lt;0.001) and planned pregnancy (aOR= 0.45; CI 95%= 0.24 to 0.84; p=0.01). Conclusions: The risk of antenatal depression increases when there is intimate partner violence, decreases if social support is obtained and pregnancy is planned.

BackgroundIt is estimated that 38.8% of mothers develop postpartum depression (PPD) in South Africa. While empirical evidence documents an association between intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization in pregnancy and PPD among adult women, the association has been underexamined among adolescent mothers (< 19 years). The study’s purpose is to examine whether IPV victimization during pregnancy is associated with PPD among adolescent mothers.MethodsAdolescent mothers (14–19 years) were recruited at a regional hospital’s maternity ward in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa between July 2017-April 2018. Participants completed behavioral assessments at two visits (n = 90): baseline (up to 4 weeks postpartum) and follow-up (6–9 weeks postpartum, when PPD is typically assessed). The WHO modified conflict tactics scale was used to create a binary measure of any physical and/or psychological IPV victimization that occurred during pregnancy. Participants with scores ≥ 13 on the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) were classified as having symptoms of PPD. We used a modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors to assess PPD in association with IPV victimization during pregnancy, controlling for relevant covariates.ResultsNearly one-half (47%) of adolescent mothers reported symptoms of PPD by 6–9 weeks post-delivery. Further, IPV victimization during pregnancy was highly prevalent (40%). Adolescent mothers who reported IPV victimization during pregnancy had marginally higher risk of PPD at follow-up (RR: 1.50, 95 CI: 0.97–2.31; p = 0.07). The association was strengthened and significant in covariate-adjusted analysis (RR: 1.62, 95 CI: 1.06–2.49; p = 0.03).ConclusionsPoor mental health was common among adolescent mothers, and IPV victimization during pregnancy was associated with PPD risk among adolescent mothers. Implementing IPV and PPD routine screenings during the perinatal period may aid in identifying adolescent mothers for IPV and PPD interventions and treatment. With the high prevalence of IPV and PPD in this vulnerable population and the potential negative impact on maternal and infant outcomes, interventions to reduce IPV and PPD are needed to improve adolescent mothers’ well-being and their baby’s health.

Prevalence of postpartum depression (PD) in Chinese women is rising and its associated factors are not well known. In this study we aim to explore the associations between nutritional factors in pregnancy and the risk of PD in Chinese women.A case-control study was performed in our hospital during January 2016 to June 2019. A food frequency questionnaire was designed to collect food consumption before the childbirth preceding month. Nutrition related biochemical indicators including fasting blood-glucose (GLU), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and uric acid in the third trimester of pregnancy were detected. Logistic regression model was applied to compute odds ratio (OR) and its corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI).There were 565 participants in this study, which comprised 182 individuals with PD and 383 individuals without. Patients with PD had higher odds of increased GLU (OR=2.62, 95%CI = 1.67–4.11), TC (OR = 1.73 95%CI = 1.22–2.46), TG (OR = 2.43, 95%CI = 1.55–3.81), and LDL (OR = 3.41, 95%CI = 2.09–5.57), but decreased HDL (OR = 3.41, 95%CI = 2.09–5.57) during pregnancy. With respect to uric acid, there was lack of no statistical association (OR = 2.23, 95%CI = 0.82–6.26). Food frequency questionnaire indicated a higher meat intake, but a lower vegetable, fruit, fish, and poultry intake in patients with PD during pregnancy.Increased GLU, TC, TG, and LDL, but decreased HDL in later stages of pregnancy might be associated with PD.