Six-Month Findings on Prevalence and Severity of Depressive Symptoms and their Associations with Sociodemographic Characteristics in Postpartum Women Attending Outpatient Clinic

Objectives: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common condition affecting maternal well-being and child development. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of depressive symptoms, along with sociodemographic characteristics in women receiving outpatient care postpartum. Such understanding is crucial for optimizing screening strategies and improving interventions for PPD.

Materials and Methods: Women aged ≥18 years attending the outpatient unit at Riga Maternity Hospital 4–6 weeks postpartum were screened using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Participants scoring ≥5 were analysed and categorized into two groups: mild depressive symptoms (scores 5–9) and moderate-to-severe symptoms (scores ≥10). Sociodemographic data were collected through self-reported questionnaires. Chi-square tests evaluated differences between groups across various factors.

Results: Over six months, data from 144 women aged 20–49 years (mean age 30.56±5.68) were collected. Of these, 26.4% reported mild depressive symptoms, and 11.8% exhibited moderate-to-severe symptoms. Age showed a significant association with PPD symptom severity (p=0.002); women aged 31–35 were overrepresented in the severe depressive symptoms group (41.2%) compared to the mild group (29%), while no severe cases occurred among women aged 26–30. Geographic distribution showed most participants resided in Riga, with no significant difference between severity groups (p=0.557). Marital status displayed borderline significance (p=0.051), with severe depressive symptoms more prevalent among married women living with spouses (84.6%). Employment trends were similar across groups, with salaried work predominating (75.7% vs. 76.5%). Emotional distress related to breastfeeding difficulties varied among severe cases but lacked statistical significance (p=0.762).

Conclusions: Age demonstrated statistical significance, and marital status showed borderline significance, indicating potential associations with postpartum depression severity. In contrast, education, ethnicity, and income showed no significant impact, highlighting the multifaceted nature of PPD. Further large-scale studies are essential to validate these findings and guide targeted interventions for vulnerable populations.