A comparison of anxiety and depressive symptomatology in postpartum and non-postpartum mothers.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to compare the distribution of symptoms of anxiety and depression among postpartum as compared with non-postpartum mothers, and to estimate the impact of the postpartum period on the risk of anxiety and depression when adjusted for other risk factors.


METHODS
A questionnaire survey approaching all women 18-40 years of age in two municipalities in Norway during the period 1998-1999 was conducted. A total of 2,730 women were included, of whom 416 were in the postpartum period. Only women with one or more deliveries (n = 1,794) were included in the multivariate analyses.


RESULTS
The crude prevalence of anxiety and depression was lower in postpartum as compared to non-postpartum mothers. However, when controlling for other risk factors, the odds ratio for anxiety was 1.2 (95% CI: 0.6-2.3) and for depression 1.8 (95% CI: 1.1-2.9) during the postpartum period.


CONCLUSIONS
The overall risk of anxiety appeared to be the same in both groups, whereas the risk of depression was increased in the postpartum group.
Eberhard-Gran
Malin
M
Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Post Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway. malin.eberhard-gran@fhi.no
Tambs
Kristian
K
Opjordsmoen
Stein
S
Skrondal
Anders
A
Eskild
Anne
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires