Impact of prenatal depressive symptoms on postpartum depressive symptoms: Mediation effect of perinatal health

Abstract

To analyze the mediation effect of perinatal health on the association between prenatal depressive symptoms and postpartum depressive symptoms 180 women filled the Edinburgh Postnatal Depressive Scale (EPDS) at 35 weeks of gestation and two months after childbirth. Perinatal health data was collected during the first 4 days after childbirth, using the Optimality Index. 25.6% of the mothers-to-be presented clinically significant depressive symptoms, and of these, 80.4% still show clinically significant depressive symptoms at 2-months postpartum. Prenatal depressive symptoms predict higher postpartum depressive symptoms. Additionally, results also showed that the effect of prenatal depressive symptoms on postnatal depressive symptoms is not mediated by perinatal health. Mothers-to-be with prenatal depressive symptoms seem to be at risk for postnatal depression, even when perinatal health is not compromised. This highlights the importance of early screening of prenatal depressive symptoms in order to promote an early intervention on women’s mental health, leading to a better transition to parenthood and to a decrease of the burden of this public health problem on children and families.