title: [Risk factors associated with postnatal depressive symptomatology: a study conducted in the Southern Area of the Local Health Unit of Modena].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  postpartum depression is one of the most important and common health problems. The aim of this study is to investigate and determine significant risk factors associated with the development of postnatal depressive symptomatology at 6-8 weeks after childbirth in a sample of Italian women.
  
  
  METHODS
  retrospective study on risk factors related to the development of postnatal depressive symptomatology at 6-8 weeks after childbirth.
  
  
  METHODS
  the study was conducted in the Southern Area of the Local Health Unit of Modena: 300 women who gave birth in Pavullo in the Frignano's Hospital or in Sassuolo's Hospital from 13.12.2009 to 3.2.2010 were considered.
  
  
  METHODS
  four weeks after delivery, women had to complete the Postpartum Depression Predictors Inventory-Revised (PDPI-R) to detect the presence of specific risk factors. Then a double-test strategy, including the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the General Health Questionnaire 12 items (GHQ12) at 6-8 weeks after childbirth, was used. The women who scored values above the cut-off in both tests have been considered to have high depressive symptomatology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  risk factors associated with postnatal depressive symptomatology were: low self-esteem, prenatal anxiety, prior depression, child care stress and baby blues (p <0.01), prenatal depression, lack of social support from partner and difficult infant temperament (p <0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  14.3% of the women considered showed high depressive symptomatology at 6-8 weeks after delivery (according to the prevalence rates of postpartum depression in Western Countries). Furthermore, the results (risk factors) mainly confirmed the evidence of the international literature.
authors.affiliation: Azienda USL di Modena, Area Sud, Consultorio familiare, Distretto di Vignola. francesca_ferretti1@virgilio.it.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferretti
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Franca
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Folin
mesh_terms: D003863:Depression; D019052:Depression, Postpartum; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors