title: The course of anxiety and depressive symptoms in Nigerian postpartum women.
abstract: Postnatal depression is mostly studied within the first 12 weeks postpartum and postnatal anxiety neglected. Using the Zung's self rating anxiety and depression scales in a repeated cross sectional study of postpartum women we found both anxiety and depressive symptoms more in first 8-weeks postpartum with a gradual decline in later postpartum period. Anxiety is more common than depression in the first 4-weeks with reversal of the trend subsequently. Both symptoms may persist till late postpartum period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Adewuya
authors.forename: O T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Afolabi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D009549:Nigeria; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires