Peer-reviewed article
Prevalence and determinants of postpartum depression among postnatal clinic attendees at the Gwarinpa General Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria.
Adeyemi O, Sani F, Adeyemi A, Isere EE, Bassi A ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study measured the rate of postpartum depression among 400 women attending postnatal clinics in Abuja, Nigeria, finding that nearly one in five women had depressive symptoms. Prolonged labour lasting more than 12 hours was strongly associated with postpartum depression. The research highlights the need for better mental health screening and support for women after childbirth, especially those who experienced difficult labour.
Key points
- Postpartum depression prevalence was 19.0% (76 out of 400 women)
- Prolonged labour (>12 hours) was a strong predictor of postpartum depression (odds ratio 3.88)
- Most sociodemographic and obstetric factors examined were not significantly associated with postpartum depression
- Postpartum depression is described as under-recognised in Nigeria despite higher prevalence in low- and middle-income countries
- The study recommends strengthening intrapartum care and integrating targeted postpartum mental health screening
Limitations
This is a cross-sectional study, so it can identify associations but not prove causation. The study only included women attending postnatal clinics, which may not represent all postpartum women in the population.
Abstract
Introduction postpartum depression (PPD) is a major global public health concern with profound effects on maternal and child wellbeing. It remains one of the most common but under-recognised complications of childbirth, with higher prevalence in low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria. Limited data are available on the prevalence of PPD in Nigeria, despite unique sociodemographic and psychosocial contexts. This study assessed the prevalence of PPD and its associated sociodemographic, obstetric, and psychosocial factors among pregnant women attending a 6-week postnatal clinic at the Gwarinpa General Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria. Methods a cross-sectional study of 400 postpartum women was conducted using systematic random sampling. Data was collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires on sociodemographic, obstetric, and psychosocial factors. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to assess depressive symptoms (cut-off ≥9). Analysis employed descriptive statistics, chi-square, and logistic regression with significance at p < 0.05. Results PPD prevalence was 19.0% (76/400). Most sociodemographic and obstetric factors were not significantly associated with PPD. However, prolonged labour was a strong predictor. Women with labour lasting >12 hours had significantly higher odds of PPD (OR = 3.88, 95% CI: 1.64-9.16). Conclusion postpartum depression had a prevalence of nearly one in five women in this study population, and prolonged duration of labour was significantly associated with PPD. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening intrapartum care and integrating targeted postpartum mental health screening for women who experience prolonged labour.