2016 Volume 28 Issue 2 Pages 147-155
Sociocultural background might explain differences in predictors for postnatal depression between countries. Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that feeling social pressure to have a child predicts postnatal depression in Japan, and tested the hypothesis in this study. Pregnant women from 12-24 weeks’ gestation were consecutively recruited at a maternity hospital in Japan. Then, 118 participants completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at baseline and 1 month after childbirth. An EPDS score of 9 or more 1 month after childbirth was set as the dependent variable. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that feeling social pressure to have a child predicted postpartum depressive symptoms. It might be clinically relevant for general hospitals to check whether pregnant women feel social pressure to have a child in order to predict postnatal mental health.
