title: A prospective study of the relationship between breastfeeding and postpartum depressive symptoms appearing at 1-5 months after delivery.
abstract: Despite the fact that more than 90% of mothers in Japan prefer breastfeeding, the breastfeeding rate at 6 months postpartum is as low as approximately 35%. Postpartum depression and bonding disorder are recognized as factors associated with discontinuation of breastfeeding. However, these factors remain controversial. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the effect of postpartum depressive symptoms and bonding on the feeding pattern from 1- to 5-month postpartum. A longitudinal study was conducted at 1- and at 5-month postpartum, in 405 mothers who attended health check at three hospitals in the Tokyo metropolitan area at 1-month postpartum, and completed longitudinal questionnaires. A high proportion of breastfeeding mothers at 1 month postpartum had Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) score of ≥ 9 at 5 months postpartum (p=0.01), and these mothers changed to formula milk-based feeding at 5-month postpartum, when compared with those of the breastfeeding-based group at both 1- and 5-month postpartum,. The appearance of depressive symptoms seems to promote discontinuation of breastfeeding at 5-month postpartum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery and Women's Health, Division of Health Sciences & Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan. nishiemi-tky@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Emiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nishioka
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haruna
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Masayo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Ryoko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murayama
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.forename: Sachiyo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murashima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D003863:Depression; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009035:Mothers; D009769:Object Attachment; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014041:Tokyo; D055815:Young Adult