Depression during Pregnancy and Postpartum Period among Adolescent and Adult Mothers

A descriptive survey was conducted to assess the level of depression during pregnancy and postpartum period among adolescent and adult mother in civil hospital at Belgaum, Karnataka.

Objectives: To assess the depression among antenatal mother and postnatal mothers as measured by Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale.

Method: In order to achieve the objectives of the study, non experimental design and descriptive survey was used in the study. The setting of the study was civil hospital, at Belgaum, Karnataka. The non-probability convenience sampling technique was used. A sample size of 50 mothers was selected for the study. Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale was used as the tool.

Result: The findings revealed that majority of sample 51% belongs to the age group of >21 years and 38% had primary and secondary education. The mean score of level of depression during pregnancy and postnatal period was 13.06 and 9.96 respectively. This indicates that the level of depression during pregnancy was high compared to the postnatal period. The correlation between level of depression during pregnancy and postnatal period shown that there is a positive correlation between of depression during pregnancy and postnatal period (0.330). This suggests that the depression during postnatal period was less compared during pregnancy. There was no significant association between the level of depression during pregnancy and postnatal period with demographic variables such as age, education, occupation, type of family, religion, obstetrical score (Gravida, parity, no. of living children ) mode of delivery and past medical and surgical illness. But the economic status and area of residence has significant association with postnatal depression during postnatal period.(x2= 9.94, p=0.05, x2=5.05, p=0.05).