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Objectives: Perinatal depression (PD) affects individuals during pregnancy and early parenthood, resembling major depression. Recent research highlights paternal perinatal depression (PPD) in fathers. PPD has adverse effects on fathers and their children. This study assesses the Turkish version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) for Turkish fathers, aiming to provide a tool for PPD identification., Methods: This methodological study validates the EPDS for Turkish fathers and explores associations with demographic and psychosocial factors. The study involved 295 fathers with infants aged 2 weeks to 12 months. The EPDS, originally designed for perinatal depression and validated in Turkish women, was used. Fathers completed a participant information questionnaire, the EPDS, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) during clinic visits. Data on sociodemographic factors, paternal roles, and pregnancy and postpartum support were collected. Mothers also completed the EPDS. Descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and correlation tests were used., Results: The study included fathers with an average age of 30.5 years, mostly with a high school education or higher. The EPDS had a mean total score of 3.1. Factor analysis suggested a three-factor structure for the EPDS in Turkish fathers, including anhedonia, anxiety, and depression. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the three-factor structure, with acceptable model fit indices. Positive correlations were found between fathers' EPDS scores, maternal EPDS scores, and paternal BDI scores. The EPDS effectively discriminated between different levels of depression severity. Various factors, such as education level and lack of support during pregnancy and after childbirth, were associated with higher EPDS scores., Conclusions: These findings emphasize the significance of assessing and addressing PPD in fathers, supporting the use of the EPDS as a valid tool in the Turkish context. The three-factor structure aligns with international research, highlighting the importance of a multi-dimensional approach to PPD assessment. Early intervention can mitigate PPD's impact on fathers, mothers, and children, benefiting mental health and well-being., (© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

Aim: To examine the association of women's exposure to domestic violence during pregnancy with postpartum maternal psychological well-being (postpartum depression and anxiety) in the early postpartum period., Methods: The sample of this descriptive correlational research study comprised 358 women. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Domestic Violence Screening Tool, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale. The one-way multivariate analysis of variance, and a multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to analysis of data., Results: The mean scores of the HITS, the EPDS, and the PSAS were 6.00±16.00, 7.47±5.57, and 72.02±18.63 respectively. Considering the cut-off values of the scales, the women were found to be at risk for exposure to domestic violence (20.1%), postpartum depression (24%), and postpartum anxiety (11.2%). Education level and having social security was significantly associated with women's HITS and PSAS score.Women with high mean domestic violence scores had high mean postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety scores. Women's mean domestic violence and postpartum anxiety scores were significantly and positively associated with their mean postpartum depression scores (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that women were frequently exposed to DV during pregnancy, education level and social security were important predictors of exposure to DV, and that DV associated with postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety. Exposure to DV and postpartum anxiety increased the risk of postpartum depression. It is recommended to integrate screening, guidance, and supportive counseling practices into routine antenatal care to improve the mental health of pregnant women at risk., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between violence, risk factors, and depression at the end of pregnancy. The sample of this descriptive and cross-sectional study consisted of 426 women for normal postpartum monitoring during the six-month period and living in southwestern Turkey of the study. About 5.6% of the women who participated in the study were exposed to obstetric violence. 5.2% of them were intimate partner violence before pregnancy. 79.1% ( n  = 24), 29.1%, and 25% of them were subjected to physical, sexual, and economic violence, respectively. In addition, 7.5% of women were exposed to verbal obstetric violence. It was found that the postpartum depression scores of the women who had been subjected to violence from their husbands before pregnancy were high.

Background: Postpartum depression and maternal-infant attachment scores were examined in uninfected women during the COVID 19 pandemic in Kutahya, a rural province in Turkey's North Aegean region., Methods: This cohort study was conducted in the Kutahya Health Sciences University Hospital obstetrics unit between April 2021 and August 2021. 178 low-risk term pregnant women who gave birth were given the surveys Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale and Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBQ) 6 weeks after birth. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale was used to determine postpartum depression and the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale was used to determine maternal attachment., Results: In this study, the postpartum depression rate was calculated as 17.4%. When depressed and non-depressed patients were compared, education level, maternal age, BMI, MIBQ score, history of previous pregnancies, route of delivery, previous operation history, economic status, employment status and pregnancy follow-up information were found to be similar (p > 0.05). The ratings on the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale were found to be similar in depressed and non-depressed patients (p > 0.05). The odds of maternal depression for patients who received guests at home was 3.068 (95%CI [1.149-8.191]) times the odds of patients who did not receive guests at home., Conclusions: Although a relationship has been found between accepting guests in the postpartum period and postpartum depression, it is necessary to investigate in further studies whether there is a causal relationship., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background and Aim: The primary aim of this study was to compare mother-infant bonding (MIB) in patients who delivered vaginally and who delivered with C/S using Maternal Attachment Inventory (MAI), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS) in the Turkish population. Secondary aim was to evaluate the correlations between the MAI, EPDS and PSAS scores and their association with sociodemographic data., Methods: A total of 200 patients were divided into two groups. 100 women who delivered vaginally were included in the vaginal delivery (NVD) group and 100 who delivered with cesarean section were included in the C/S group. The demographic data of the subjects including age, gravidity, and parity, were recorded and a detailed anamnesis was taken at the day of hospitalization for delivery. In addition, newborns' genders were taken into evaluation. All patients were asked to complete MAI, EPDS and PSAS at the 3rd month postpartum control., Results: PSAS score in the NVD group was calculated to be 68.9 ± 9.0, which was significantly higher than C/S group 65.0 ± 9.6 (p = 0.005). However, MAI and EPDS scores in both groups were calculated to be similar (p = 0.833 and p = 0.260, respectively). A significant negative correlation was observed between age and MAI (r = -0.180, p = 0.011) and between number of children and MAI (r = -0.140, p = 0.048)., Conclusions: According to the results of this study which was conducted using a Turkish cohort maternal age at delivery and number of children at home are the factors which had an effect on MIB. On the other hand, mode of delivery did not play a role on MIB among this study population. However, multicenter studies with larger number of subjects are needed to make a general conclusion regarding the Turkish population.

Background: Improved knowledge of causal and protective factors is crucial for Postpartum depression (PPD) prevention and management., Aims: To investigate the relationship between adverse childhood experience (ACE), perceived social support and PPD in a middle-income non-Western country, and to investigate which type of ACE and which sources of social support were associated with PPD., Methods: The study was cross-sectional study and conducted in a one center from Turkey during March-June 2019. Women up to 1-week postpartum were included in the study. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), a validated ACE questionnaire, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were completed., Results: Nine hundred women took part in the study. The proportion identified with PPD and ACE were 10% and 8.8%, respectively. In bivariate analysis, having previous PPD, unwanted pregnancy, insufficient antenatal care, low family income, history of ACE, and perception of low social support were associated with PPD (p < 0.05). Family support was perceived as beneficial, in both women with no history or ≥2 instances of ACE. However, perceived support from friends and/or a special person was lowest in the ≥2 ACE group (p < 0.05). In logistic regression, unwanted pregnancy, emotional abuse, and neglect, incarceration of a household member, and poor special person support were factors significantly associated with developing PPD (p = 0.005)., Conclusions: Emotional abuse, neglect, household dysfunction, and perceived poor support from a special person were risk factors for PPD. A history of maternal childhood trauma and poor social support might indicate the need for early PPD interventions., (© 2021 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

Purpose: This study aimed to assess anxiety, depression, and knowledge level in postpartum women during the COVID-19 pandemic., Design and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 212 postpartum women using a web-based online survey in Ankara, Turkey., Findings: The prevalence of depression was 34.0%. The mean anxiety and COVID-19 knowledge scores were 42.69 ± 9.93 and 9.69 ± 1.94, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the anxiety scores and depression status (p < 0.001) of women. There were statistically significant differences between fear about being infected with COVID-19 for themselves (p = 0.01) and for babies (p = 0.01) and the postpartum depression (PPD)., Practice Implications: During the COVID-19 pandemic, early detection and appropriate and timely intervention to prevent and detect anxiety and PPD are crucial to the well-being of a woman., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Introduction: Although there are several studies on maternal sensitivity of preterm-born children conducted in Western countries, the factors affecting the sensitivity of mothers of preterm infants have not been investigated outside the Western context., Objectives: This study aimed to compare maternal sensitivity of preterm children at 18 months of corrected age with their healthy term-born peers and explore the factors associated with maternal sensitivity in a middle-income non-Western country. Moreover, the associations of maternal sensitivity with socio-demographic factors, maternal depression, and social-emotional competency and behavior problems of infants were investigated., Methods: In total, 70 (40 preterm-born and 30 term-born) mother-child dyads participated in this study. An observation-based measurement tool, Maternal Sensitivity Scale, was used to assess maternal sensitivity. Social-emotional competency and behavior problems of infants were evaluated via The Turkish version of the Brief Infant-Toddler Social Emotional Assessment. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed via the Beck Depression Inventory. In addition, a demographic information form was filled out by the mothers., Results: Maternal sensitivity scores of preterm infants were significantly lower compared to term infants. Depressive symptoms scores and employment status of mothers, socio-economic status (SES), gestational age, breastfeeding duration, and behavior problems of children were the factors related to maternal sensitivity scores. In hierarchical regression analysis, SES and gestational age were the strongest predictors of maternal sensitivity. After controlling SES and gestational age, maternal depressive symptoms scores negatively predicted maternal sensitivity scores., Conclusion: This study pointed out the factors associated with the maternal sensitivity of preterm infants outside the Western context. Interventions to improve sensitive parenting behaviors of preterm infants are needed, especially in socio-economically disadvantaged groups., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyse depression and breastfeeding behaviour of overweight/obese and non-obese primipara mothers during their pregnancy and postpartum period., Methods: The comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at Afyonkarahisar State Hospital, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey, from September 2016 to February 2017, and comprised three follow-ups of overweight/obese and nonobese pregnant women. Data was collected using a personal identification form, and standard postpartum depression and breast feeding definition scales. SPSS 22 was used for data analysis., Results: Of the 229 subjects, 110(48%) were overweight/obese and 119(52%) were non-obese. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant regarding the mode of delivery and exclusive breastfeeding (p<0.05). Depression scores of overweight/obese mothers were higher in prenatal period, on the postpartum second day and in the postpartum 4th-6th week (p<0.05). The breastfeeding scores of overweight / obese mothers were low on the postpartum second day and in the postpartum 4th-6th week (p<0.05). There was a negative correlation between depression and breastfeeding scores of all mothers in both prenatal and postpartum periods (p<0.05 each)., Conclusions: Health professionals should support obese women because they carry a risk of prenatal and postpartum depression as well as unsuccessful breastfeeding.

Study Objective: Postpartum depression (PPD) emerges within the first 4 weeks of the postnatal period and might continue for as long as 1 year. The aims of this prospective study were to examine the prevalence, severity, and risk factors for PPD among adolescent mothers in Turkey., Design, Setting, and Participants: The study consisted of 84 adolescent mothers between the ages of 15 and 19 years., Interventions and Main Outcome Measures: The participants were questioned about PPD at 3 postnatal periods: 4 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year. A 23-item question form, prepared to evaluate the risk of PPD, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale were used., Results: The risk of adolescent PPD was 19 (22.6%). There was a statistically significant association between the risk of PPD and various factors, such as age, educational background, trouble with partner and family, problems with sexual intercourse in the postnatal term, and assertiveness in making decisions about children (P < .05). At the 6-month follow-up, the scores of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale risk group remained the same, but they were lower at the 1-year follow-up., Conclusion: The results revealed that adolescent mothers need the assistance of partners, families, midwives/nurses, and other support systems, especially during the first postnatal year, to reduce the prevalence of adolescent PPD., (Copyright © 2019 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The aim was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of postpartum depression, and changes over time from pregnancy to postpartum period., Design and Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in 23 cities in Turkey, with 497 pregnant women., Findings: Of women, 13.5% had a high level of depressive symptoms during pregnancy and 4.8% during the postpartum period. Significant relationships emerged between total Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score and mean age of participants and their husbands, duration of marriage, parity, and history of receiving professional psychological support., Practice Implications: Family planning education could be an important intervention to prevent depression in young couples., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

This study was conducted to determine the risk of postpartum depression in husbands of women who had a caesarean section and the factors affecting this risk. The study sample included husbands of 298 women who gave birth for the first time and via caesarean in Zonguldak Maternity and Child Health Hospital in Turkey. Data were collected using a data collection form and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. This study revealed that more than one-third of the fathers had a risk of postpartum depression. It also revealed that postpartum depression risk was high in fathers who had girl babies and whose wives had postpartum depression risk.

Background: Childbirth may be a significant cause of postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women., Aims: The objective of this study is to examine the effect of fear of childbirth, postpartum depression, and certain birth-related variables on postpartum PTSD., Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study. The study was carried out in a maternity hospital nonstress unit between December 1, 2015, and February 29, 2016. Three hundred and one pregnant women who met the criteria for inclusion in the study made up the research sample., Results: Fear of childbirth and postpartum depression significantly and positively predicted the level of posttraumatic stress after childbirth (β = 0.17, p < .01; β = 0.68, p < .001). Fear of childbirth explains 3% of the total variance in posttraumatic stress (R 2  = .03, adjusted R 2  = .02, F = 7.141, p < .01), while postpartum depression explains 47% of it (R 2  = .47, adjusted R 2  = .46, F = 196.35, p < .001). Satisfaction with the attitudes of the medical staff during childbirth, defining the childbirth experience, and the state of experiencing postpartum problems by the mother are significant predictors of postpartum posttraumatic stress (β = -0.21, p < .01; β = -0.14, p < .05; β = 0.17, p < .01). When these three variables are addressed together, they explain 14% of the total variance (R 2  = .14, adjusted R 2  = .13, F = 9.33, p < .001)., Linking Evidence to Action: Postpartum PTSD is a situation that must be carefully emphasized in terms of maternal, baby, and family health. For this reason, it is necessary to evaluate postpartum PTSD more quickly and objectively, and healthcare providers have major duties in this respect., (© 2018 Sigma Theta Tau International.)

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in postpartum Turkish women, and the relation between sexual dysfunction and depression, and some risk factors. This study was conducted with 530 postpartum women who had given birth during the previous 2-12 months. Data were collected with the Personal Information Form, Index of Female Sexual Function, and Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale. For the data analysis, descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, and Pearson correlation analysis were conducted using SPSS version 16. In the study, 74.3% of the postpartum women experienced sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction was more prevalent in women who were high school graduates, whose reported economic status was middle class, who had a history of high-risk pregnancy, and whose menstruations did not recommence. It was also prevalent in women who experienced dyspareunia, who did not use a family planning method, who used withdrawal family planning method, and who experienced postnatal depression. A medium correlation was determined between the sexual dysfunction and postnatal depression. Assessment of the sexual dysfunction prevalence and risk factors of postpartum women enables healthcare professionals to use necessary intervention strategies.

We determined the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) and related risk factors in Turkey based on relevant research. This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis and was conducted by performing a scan of the Turkish and English literature over the period of January-February 2016. Most of the research included in this systematic compilation made use of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale. The scans executed indicated that 4,740 women out of 18,780 were at risk for PPD. In the computations made based on these data, it was found that the consolidated prevalence of PPD was 24% (21%-27% at a confidence interval of 95%) and that this rate varied between 9% and 51%. The study revealed 54 risk factors related to PPD. Those most commonly reported were mental problems/depression prior to pregnancy, unplanned/unwanted pregnancy, low income/socioeconomic level, bad marital relationship/problems with spouse/dissatisfaction with married life, and being a housewife. In this study, we showed that the prevalence rate of PPD is significantly high, that it varies within a wide range, that the prevalence of depression decreased with the increase of the time passed after childbirth, and that it is related to numerous and different factors.

Background: Mental health problems in the perinatal period are common. We examined associations between different categories of migrant status and region of origin in relation to mental health during pregnancy and at 2 months post-partum., Methods: We analyzed data from the French nationally representative Etude Longitudinale Française depuis l'Enfance birth cohort (n = 17 988). Migrant status was divided into five categories: 'majority population', 'descendants with one migrant parent', 'descendants with two migrant parents', 'naturalized migrant' and 'non-naturalized migrant women'. Multivariate logistic regression models were implemented to examine associations between migrant status and mental health outcomes: persistent psychological difficulties during pregnancy as well as mother's depression and poor self-reported health at 2 months post-partum., Results: After adjusting for covariates, migrant status was not associated with psychological difficulties during pregnancy. Descendants of migrants had comparable mental health to the majority population. Non-naturalized migrant women were more likely to experience depression (odd's ratio (OR)= 1.66, 95%confidence interval (CI): 1.27, 2.20) and poor self-reported health (OR = 1.45, 95%CI: 1.06, 1.98) during the post-partum period. The region of origin was associated with post-partum health independently of migrant status, such that women from Africa and Turkey were most likely to have depression or poor self-rated health., Conclusion: First, but not second, generation migrant women appear to have high levels of mental health difficulties during the post-partum period. Women from North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Turkey have higher levels of distress than those from other regions. In particular, non-naturalized migrant appear to be a vulnerable group; they may disproportionately face stressors that increase their risk for post-partum depressive symptoms.

Objective: To investigate post-partum depression after emergency peripartum hysterectomy and associated factors., Methods: This cross-sectional controlled study was conducted at Batman Gynaecology and Paediatric Diseases Hospital, Batman, Turkey, between June 15 and July 23, 2015, and comprised cases of patients with peripartum hysterectomy and of those who had experienced surgical procedures other than hysterectomy (hypogastric artery ligation and/or B-Lynch suture). Both the groups were compared using Edinburgh Post-natal Depression Scale. SPSS 11.5 was used for data analysis., Results: Of the 41 patients, there were 17(41.5%) in the non-hysterectomy group and 24(58.5%) in the hysterectomy group. In the hysterectomy group, the rates of intensive care stay, infant death and complications were higher (p<0.05). The scores of the Edinburgh Post-natal Depression Scale were higher in the hysterectomy group (p<0.05). Organ loss was determined to increase depression 114-fold (p=0.002)., Conclusions: Peripartum hysterectomy caused post-partum depression.

Aim: This was a follow-up study to determine postpartum depression (PPD) and its causes in a population previously evaluated in the first trimester of pregnancy., Methods: The study sample consisted of pregnant women who were evaluated in the first trimester and 360 women who were re-evaluated in the postpartum period. Detailed sociodemographic data were obtained from the women, and depression was assessed with the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression scale (EPDS) and Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Axis I Disorders (SCID-I)., Results: In this follow-up study, the prevalence of PPD was 35% (n = 126). A depressive disorder in the first trimester of pregnancy, previous mental disorder, somatic disorder, exposure to domestic violence during pregnancy, baby's staying in the incubator and not breastfeeding were predictors of PPD. Exposure to violence and a history of previous depression predicted depression both in pregnancy and in the postpartum period., Conclusion: Depression rates are high in Eastern Turkey. Exposure to violence during pregnancy and the existence of a previous mental disorder were risk factors for perinatal depression in this study. Performing screening tests can identify women at risk of pregnancy-related depression. Prevention programs should be established in areas where the prevalence of depression is high., (© The Author(s) 2014.)

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is moderate to severe depression in a woman after she has given birth. Findings from several well-designed studies reflect great variability in rates, from 10 to 22%, and also in risk factors for PPD. This variability may reflect geographical location. The incidence and risk factors for PPD among Turkish women are not well documented. It is, however, important to understand the risk factors to develop preventive intervention strategies. This study aims to examine the prevalence of PPD and associated risk factors among a sample of women receiving services at a tertiary obstetrics hospital in Ankara, Turkey., Methods: A sample of 671 women, between 36 and 40 gestational weeks, were enrolled and screened for depressive symptomatology using the Hospital Depression Inventory. Sociodemographic and clinical data were also collected. At a subsequent postpartum evaluation, 6-8 weeks post-delivery, 540 of the 671 were screened using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) for PPD., Results: Eighty-three (15.4%) of the 540 women had scores above the cutoff point (>13) on the EPDS. Statistically significant correlations were found between antenatal, prenatal and postpartum depression scores (r = 0.24). Women reporting suicidal thoughts during pregnancy (OR: 6.99), history of past PPD (OR: 6.64), physical violence during pregnancy (OR: 6.20) or during the postpartum period (OR: 5.87), previous psychiatric history (OR: 4.16), depressive symptoms during pregnancy (OR: 1.70), subjectively lower level of satisfaction with the pregnancy (OR:0. 69), a history of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) (OR: 2.05), and unplanned pregnancy (OR: 1.69) had higher odds for developing PPD., Conclusion: One in six mothers screened as positive for PPD. Women who had previously been diagnosed with PPD, reported suicidal thoughts during pregnancy, or had been exposed to physical violence were at especially high risk for postpartum depression. To prevent and treat postpartum depression, special attention should be paid to women reporting these characteristics.

Objectives: This study aims to measure incidence and persistence of depression and to investigate the influence of self-reported antenatal social support and traditional/nuclear family structure on incidence and persistence of depression between the third trimester of pregnancy and following childbirth. We hypothesised that lower antenatal social support would be associated with incidence and persistence of case-level depressive symptoms and the family structure would have an effect on the incidence and persistence of depressive symptoms., Settings: The cohort study described here was carried out in and around Ankara the capital of Turkey, because of the considerable heterogeneity of the population in terms of traditional Middle Eastern and 'modern' Western lifestyle and social environment. Samples were drawn from 20 urban and rural antenatal clinics (mainly primary care settings) within the geographic catchment., Participants: Of 730 women recruited in their third trimester, 578 (79.2%) were re-examined between 2 and 6 months after childbirth. Exclusion criteria were as follows: aged younger than 18 years, illiteracy, significant health problems and refusal to participate., Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: Close Persons Questionnaire items enquired about relationships with the husband, mother and mother-in-law and depression was ascertained using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at the each assessments., Results: In those followed, onset of postnatal depression occurred in 13.9% and persistence of antenatal depression in 49.7%. After adjustment, worse emotional support from the mother-in-law was significantly associated with postnatal depression incidence (OR=0.93, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.99) and worse emotional support from the husband with postnatal persistence (OR=0.89, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.96) of antenatal depression. Family structure was not a risk or modifying factor., Conclusions: The incidence and persistence of postnatal depression in this Middle Eastern cohort were comparable to international findings. Certain family relationships predicted incidence and persistence of postnatal depression but no role of traditional/nuclear family structure was found., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.)

Aim: The aim of this prospective study was to examine the relationship between success of exclusive breastfeeding and postpartum depressive symptomatology. Our hypothesis was that mothers with depressive symptoms initially fail exclusive breastfeeding., Subjects and Methods: One hundred ninety-seven mothers were enrolled in the study. The participants were interviewed twice. The first visit was within the first 48 hours after birth. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was completed by the participants. The second interview was performed at 6 weeks. Participants answered questions regarding methods of breastfeeding for 6 weeks, any methodological problems, and nipple pain. The EPDS was again completed by the participants at 6 weeks. All newborns were term infants., Results: All the participants were divided into two groups: exclusive breastfeeding and mixed-feeding (partial breastfeeding and/or bottle feeding). Both groups were compared in terms of features, such as mode of delivery, parity, prevalence of depressive symptomatology (at 48 hours and 6 weeks), and delayed onset of lactation within the first 48 hours. Statistical significance was found for only three variables: delayed onset of lactation within the first 48 hours, gestational age, and the problems related to breastfeeding methods., Conclusions: Clinicians should pay special attention to any lactation difficulty during the first week postpartum. Early lactation difficulties are associated with greater risk of early termination of breastfeeding and lower breastfeeding success.

Objective: Postpartum depression (PPD) is an important health issue that affects not only mothers, but also entire families. Postpartum follow-up should address emotional and psychological issues, as well as physical issues, especially in those at risk. This study aimed to determine the incidence of PPD and the associated risk factors in a group of new mothers undergoing routine follow-up at an urban maternity clinic., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study investigating the relationship between PPD and various factors. A total of 187 women that presented to a university hospital for routine postpartum follow-up 4-6 weeks post delivery were recruited consecutively. The mothers were administered a sociodemographic form that included questions about the known risk factors (sociodemographic and sociocultural factors, and mother-related, pregnancy-related, and child-related factors) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)., Results: The incidence of PPD based on EPDS scores was 28.9% (scores > 12 were defined as PPD). Unplanned/unintended pregnancy, bottle-feeding only, mother's lack of satisfaction with the baby's sleep pattern, lack of family support for baby care, lack of satisfaction with the marital relationship, and family violence were significantly correlated with PPD (P < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression showed that bottle-feeding, lack of family support, lack of satisfaction with the marital relationship, and family violence were the primary factors that significantly increased the risk of PPD., Conclusions: The findings show that the PPD occurs in almost one-third of women and that, among the risk factors, sociocultural factors were the most strongly associated with PPD.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sexual problems in women during the first postpartum year and related conditions., Background: In the postpartum period, women encounter numerous physical, psychological and sociocultural factors. These factors negatively affect both the sexual function and the quality of life of woman., Design: A descriptive survey., Methods: In this study, 230 women were included. The study was conducted between September 2007 and December 2008 in Izmir, Turkey. A questionnaire form developed by authors, the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale-female version and the Beck depression inventory were applied for participants., Results: The women began to have sexual intercourse within 7·06 weeks after delivery. Of the women, 58·3% reported that they had dyspareunia in the postpartum period. According to Arizona Sexual Experience Scale, the total score was ≥ 11 in 91·3% of women and they had sexual problems in the first postpartum year. The results of the multivariate analysis revealed that the increase in age, the presence of sexual problems during pregnancy and the increase in time after delivery significantly increased the possibility of postpartum sexual problems., Conclusion: This study revealed that the majority of the women had postpartum sexual problems and the possibility of postpartum sexual problems increased with the increase in age, the presence of sexual problems during pregnancy and the increase in time after delivery., Relevance to Clinical Practice: Healthcare professionals should evaluate women in terms of their sexual functions during both pregnancy and postpartum period. Health education, counselling, referral services for early diagnosis and treatment might contribute to the protection and improvement of the sexual health of women during the postpartum period., (© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Purpose: Postpartum depression (PPD) stands out as an important health issue that affects not only the mother but her partner and the entire family. A few studies from Turkey have found the high prevalence for PPD. In the current study we aimed: (1) to report the prevalence of postpartum depression among Turkish women in Manisa province; (2) description of the association of PPD with risk factors., Methods: To achieve the goals of the current study, we employed the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). The perceived social support (PSS) scale was used to assess social support in the postnatal period. Socio-demographic and obstetric variables were collected through a socio-demographic and obstetric questionnaire., Results: The mean EPDS scores of the study participants were 8.53 ± 4.93. The EPDS-based prevalence of PPD (a score of ≥13) was 28.3%. We found a significant negative correlation between EPDS scores and perceived social support from the family (PSS-Fa) and from friends (PSS-Fr) scores. The present study also revealed a significant association between postpartum depressive symptomatology and unintended pregnancy, insufficient social support, and previous history of depression., Conclusion: The findings of the current study revealed high EPDS-based PPD prevalence in a sample of Turkish women and described a number of risk factors associated with PPD. The high prevalence found in this study indicated a need for developing new interventions for early detection and treatment of PPD. A significant number of Turkish immigrants live in western countries. We believe the findings of the current study may be helpful for physicians in locations where a large number of Turkish immigrants live.

Objectives: The aim of this article was to determine risk factors for postpartum depression in low-socioeconomic level women during the first postpartum year and to determine the relationship between postpartum depression symptoms and social support., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Data were collected through administration of a questionnaire, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Data were analyzed utilizing unpaired t test, one-way analysis of variance, and logistic regression analysis., Results: The prevalence of perceived symptoms of postpartum depression was 21.0% (scores of ≥13) and there was a correlation (r = -0.36, p = 0.000) between MSPSS and EPDS scores. The mean EPDS score was 8.36 ± 5.6 while the mean MSPSS score was 64.49 ± 15.2., Conclusion: Postpartum depression symptoms are common among Turkish women. These findings provide important information about the role of social support related to postpartum depressive symptoms among Turkish women. Informing health professionals about these issues is an important step towards improving maternal and child health care services.

Purpose: The aim of this cohort study was to assess postpartum depressive symptoms in women who had been successfully treated for primary infertility at 2 teaching hospitals in Turkey in 2008., Methods: The study groups comprised 51 fertile and 105 infertile women. The number of participants lost to follow-up was 28 fertile and 8 infertile women. "Descriptive Information Questionnaire" developed by the authors, the adapted "Beck Depression Inventory," and the adapted "Postpartum Depression Scanning Scale" were used to collect data., Results: The probability of developing postpartum depression in the infertile group is 1.352 times higher than that in the fertile group. However, this result cannot be considered to be statistically meaningful. A similar correlation was present between the level of depressive symptoms during pregnancy and in the postpartum period in both the infertile and fertile groups. Additional risk factors such as health issues during pregnancy, the notion that pregnancy causes a decrease in libido and negative body image, the infant's gender, pain from incision or infection, and dyspareunia were manifest in the fertile women, but not in the infertile women., Conclusion: A history of infertility is not a major factor in postpartum depression. However, a history of depression may contribute to its development during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Infertile women who experience severe anxiety and stress could be more prone to depression and should therefore be monitored closely.

Aims and Objectives: The study was undertaken to provide an estimate of the prevalence of postpartum depression and its correlates. Further, we sought to evaluate the predictive power of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale when administered at postpartum week one for symptoms of depression at postpartum week six., Background: Postpartum depression is a major health issue for women worldwide with well-documented negative health consequences for the mother and family. It is therefore important to evaluate prenatal detection of women at risk for developing postpartum depression., Design: A prospective study., Methods: The study involved 479 pregnant women in Erzurum, Turkey who were evaluated during the third trimester of pregnancy and at one and six weeks postpartum by community midwives. Questionnaires were used for data collection. Anxiety/social support scales were used for baseline evaluation, and the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale was administered at one and six weeks postpartum., Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms according to the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale was 17.7% at first week and 14% at sixth week postpartum. The factors that were most predictive of postpartum depression were psychiatric history during pregnancy; prenatal anxiety; poor marital relationship in the first postpartum weeks; lack of health insurance and lack of contraceptive use. The correlation between symptoms of depression at one and six weeks in the postpartum period was significant., Conclusions: The prevalence of postpartum depression and its correlates were similar to the results of Western studies. Early identification of potential risk factors may aid in recognition of and treatment for postpartum depression. The Edinburgh scale is a simple yet useful tool to use during the early postpartum period for evaluation of depressive symptoms., Relevance to Clinical Practice: This study highlights the utility of screening for risk of postpartum depression during pregnancy and also during the early postpartum period.

Objective: Long-term follow-up and risk factors of persistent post-partum depression (PPD) are fairly unknown compared with its prevalence in the developing countries. In this study, we did a follow-up measure of PPD and examined the factors, which were associated with PPD 1-year post-partum., Method: Our sample comprised of 34 women. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Edinburgh post-natal depression scale (EPDS) 6 weeks post-partum, and women with scores >12 on this scale was categorised as depressed. Personality disorders were determined at the same occasion by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R personality disorders (SCID-II). One year post-partum EPDS was completed., Results: The rate of PPD 1-year post-partum was 32.4%, and it was unrelated to age at assessment, primiparity, number of children, employment status, economical status and educational level. Women depressed 1-year post-partum had significantly higher basal scores of EPDS and more often also a diagnosis of any axis II disorder; and specifically dependent and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders. In our sample, the predictors of 1-year post-partum PPD were having higher basal score of EPDS and the existence of a personality disorder., Conclusion: This study suggests that women with PPD, scoring high in the EPDS scale 6 weeks post-partum and having a personality disorder, run a higher risk for depression at 1-year follow-up.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS) for the Turkish population., Method: The research was conducted in the province of Ankara between 15 June 2003 and 15 February 2004. The study sample included 445 women in their 2nd-13th postpartum week. Data were collected with a sociodemographic form, PDSS, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS)., Results: The internal consistency coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) of PDSS was 0.94, its test-retest reliability was r=0.86 and the coefficient of the two-halves test was r=0.91. Factor analysis of the scale revealed that it was composed of 6 factors with Eigenvalues >1, accounting for 54.69% of the total variance. All items of the Turkish PDSS had a factor load ranging from 0.34 to 0.77 and they all belonged to 1 factor. There was a strong relationship between PDSS, and BDI (r=0.71) and EPDS (r=0.71). Item-to-total correlation coefficients of the Turkish PDSS ranged from 0.35 to 0.68 and item-to-total correlation coefficients of its subscales ranged from 0.31 and 0.71, and they were sufficiently discriminative., Conclusion: The research suggests that the validity and reliability of the Turkish PDSS are satisfactory, and that it can be used in Turkey.

Objectives: Postpartum depression is an important and under-diagnosed problem. The aims of this study were (1) to compare the prevalence of depressive symptomology in Turkish mothers who were 1-3 months postpartum with the prevalence of depressive symptomology in mothers who had not been pregnant for at least 1 year, (2) to identify risk factors associated with depression in both groups, and (3) to examine the effect of postpartum depression on breastfeeding by the mothers., Design: Cross-sectional study, Setting: Well-baby clinic, Participants: 326 women enrolled in January 2001; 163 were 1-3 months postpartum, and 163 had not been pregnant in the previous year., Results: The prevalence of depressive symptomology in the postpartum and non-postpartum groups was 17% (28/163) and 24.5% (40/163), respectively; this was not statistically significant (P = 0.102). When we compared mean Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (10.75 +/- 8.06 and 12.63 +/- 8.81, respectively, P = 0.045). Premenstrual tension and a history of depression were risk factors for depressive symptomology in both groups. Three or more births and a history of induced abortion were risk factors for depressive symptomology in the non-postpartum group. In the postpartum group, the effect of depression on breast-feeding was not statistically significant (P = 0.7). The generalisability of the study results to the community is limited., Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence of depressive symptomology in the postpartum and non-postpartum groups did not show a significant difference, but the prevalence of depressive symptomology was high in both groups. Postpartum depression did not have a negative effect on breast-feeding. Lower BDI scores in the postpartum period may be the result of the protective factors of motherhood which is a respected status for women in populations where the preservations of traditions and customs are valued.

Objective: This research compared the demographic features, presence of confusion, and long-term follow-up results of women with postpartum psychosis to control subjects., Method: The study included 23 patients with symptoms that emerged in the six-month period after delivery who were followed-up between 1998 and 2006. The control group consisted of 25 age- and education level-matched female patients experiencing their first psychotic episode. Data were collected with a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Clinical Global Impression Scale, and the Delirium Rating Scale. Final diagnoses were made according to DSM-IV., Results: Among the postpartum women, 73.9% developed psychosis during their first parturition. The postpartum psychosis and control groups were followed-up for 4.00 +/- 1.62 (range: 2-6) and 3.96 +/- 1.24 (range: 2-6) years, respectively. During the follow-up period, 21.7% of the postpartum patients developed a mood disorder, and 77.9% developed schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Among those in the control group, 32.0% were diagnosed with a mood disorder and 68.0% with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. The distribution of final diagnoses in the 2 groups were similar. Patients with postpartum psychosis experienced more confusion than the control subjects. During the follow-up period, 65.2% of the patients with postpartum psychosis and 72% of the control patients had recurrence., Conclusion: The course of postpartum psychosis was similar to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, except for the presence of confusion. During the follow-up period, most of the patients in both groups were diagnosed with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. This result indicated that there is no need for other diagnostic criteria for postpartum psychosis other than those presently contained in DSM-IV.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to investigate the incidence rate of postpartum-onset major depression (PPMD) and to examine associated sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric factors, and personality disorders., Method: The study data were obtained from 302 women who delivered at a child and maternity hospital. We interviewed the new mothers on the first day of their childbirth and at 6 weeks postpartum. Major depression and axis II diagnoses were determined by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, and the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition, Personality Disorders, respectively., Results: Nineteen (6.3%) women had new-onset major depression during 6 weeks postpartum. Postpartum-onset major depression was unrelated to age, educational level, employment status, planned or unplanned pregnancy, history of abortion and gestational complications, term of delivery, type of delivery, sex of the baby, and mother's breast-feeding. Frequency of primiparity and of avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders was higher in women with PPMD than that in women without PPMD. As a result of logistic regression analysis, the independent predictor of PPMD was the presence of avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders., Conclusion: Our results suggest that childbearing women with avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders have increased risk of new-onset major depression during the postpartum period.

Objective: To explore the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) and potential risk factors giving rise to PPD among Turkish women., Design: A descriptive design and random survey method were used., Sample: Collected from 9 public health centers, the sample consisted of 679 mothers within their first year after delivery., Measurements: The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) and a risk factor questionnaire were used during home visits., Results: The EPDS results revealed a 25.6% prevalence of higher-level depression (12 or above) and a 16.7% prevalence of lower-level depression. Maximum prevalence occurred at 2, 8, 10, and 12 months postpartum. Seventeen independent variables were found to be associated with the elevated scores on EPDS. Strong predictors of depression were as follows: previous psychiatric illness (odds ratio [OR] 15.95); smoking (OR 4.17); lower economic status (OR 4.10); relationship problems with husband (OR 3.49) or mother-in-law (OR 2.53); dissatisfaction in social relations (OR 1.53); previous loss of a baby (OR 7.49); and giving birth to a baby girl (OR 2.54)., Conclusions: PPD is common among Turkish women. There is an increased need to educate public and health care practitioners about PPD. Public health nursing interventions, in particular, need to be developed to provide support to postpartum women.

Background: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) has been widely used to assess maternal depression following childbirth in a range of English speaking countries, and increasingly also in translation in non-English speaking ones. It has performed satisfactorily in most validation studies, has proved easy to administer, is acceptable to women, and rates of depression in the range of 10-20% have been consistently found., Methods: The performance of the EPDS was compared across different population samples in Australia: (i) Women born in Australia or in another English speaking country who completed the EPDS in English as part of the 1994 postal Survey of Recent Mothers (SRM) 6-7 months after birth (n = 1166); (ii) Women born in non-English speaking countries who also completed the EPDS in English in the same survey (n = 142); and (iii) Women born in Vietnam (n = 103), Turkey (n = 104) and the Philippines (n = 106) who completed the EPDS 6-9 months after birth in translation in the Mothers in a New Country Study (MINC) study (total n = 313). The pattern of item responses on the EPDS was assessed in various ways across the samples and internal reliability coefficients were calculated. Exploratory factor analyses were also conducted to assess the similarity in the factor solutions across the samples., Results: The EPDS had good construct validity and item endorsement by women was similar across the samples. Internal reliability of the scale was also very satisfactory with Cronbach's alpha for each sample being > or = 8. Between 39 and 46% of the variance in each of the three main samples was accounted for by one principal factor 'depression' (6-7 items loading), with two supplementary factors 'loss of enjoyment' (2 items loading) and 'despair/self-harm' (2-3 items loading) accounting for a further 20-25% of the variance. Alternative one and two factor solutions also showed a great deal of consistency between the samples., Conclusions: The good item consistency of the EPDS and the relative stability of the factor patterns across the samples are indicative that the scale is understood and completed in similar ways by women in these different English speaking and non-English speaking population groups. With the proviso that careful translation processes and extensive piloting of translations are always needed, these findings lend further support to the use of the EPDS in cross-cultural research on depression following childbirth.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of depression in the last trimester of pregnancy and within the first 6 months postpartum, to determine whether there is an association between antepartum and postpartum depression and to investigate the risk factors prospectively in a cohort of Turkish women., Study Design: In a prospective, community-based, cohort study, 125 women who expected to give birth during the first 6 months of 2002 (January 1, 2002-June 30, 2002) were included. Depression was measured at 36-38 weeks antepartum and then again at 5-8, 10-14 and 20-26 weeks postpartum using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. A questionnaire that was devised to collect data on sociodemographic and clinical information on the women was applied., Results: The prevalence of depression was highest in pregnancy (21.6%) and declined gradually in the follow-up period (respectively, 16.8%, 14.4% and 9.6%). Antepartum depression was a statistically significant risk factor during the 6 months postpartum in each of the 3 assessments. In the logistic model, past history of mental illness, history of mental illness in first-degree relatives and adverse life events were associated with antepartum depression; low income, adverse life events and a poor relationship with the husband were associated with postpartum depression., Conclusion: Evaluations made in'the last trimester of pregnancy should be very helpful in diagnosing and preventing depression in women at high risk.

Objective: Risk of depression increases in some periods of the women's life and postpartum period is one of these periods. Women in the risk group should be followed-up both prenatally and postnatally. The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence and risk factors of postpartum depression in Trabzon province., Method: Among all pregnants in the third trimester of gestation attending to six primary health care centers belonging to Trabzon province and the Hospital of Obstetrics and Pediatrics were informed about the study and of these 316 person who accepted to attend the study were applied Sociodemographic Questionnary, General Health Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory. Of these 192 women (75%) were reached at the first visit. At sixth-eighth weeks of postpartum, above mentioned inventories, excluding Sociodemographic Questionnary but additionally Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, were applied to 152 of these women (79%). All tests were re-applied to 132 (68.7%) women at their sixth month after delivery., Results: Incidence of DSD according to Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was found 28.1% in Trabzon province. Reported depression after previous pregnancies, scores equal or above five in General Health Inventory in pregnancy and high scores in Beck Anxiety Inventory were determined as predictors of postpartum depression in the study population., Conclusion: As being the first follow up study of investigating the incidence of postpartum depression by a scale prepared to used this area, these findings are important to guide the further studies in connected with matter.

Objectives: The aims of the study were to identify associated factors with depression, to estimate prevalence of depression among women in the postnatal first year in Eastern Turkey, and to compare the results with those obtained from western societies., Methods: We randomly selected 728 women in their postnatal first year. The data were collected in 2003 by using a structured questionnaire and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale., Results: The percentage of the women who had scores > or = 13 was 34.6%. Having an unemployed husband, premenstrual symptoms, lack of husband's support, any stressful life event during the pregnancy, infant with a health problem, a temperamentally difficult child, and history of psychiatric condition were found to be associated factors with depression in women in this region., Conclusion: The percentage of women with high scores in Eastern Turkey was higher than the reported prevalence in many western countries, and significant relations were identified between depression and social factors.

Objective: To estimate the community prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) in Edirne, Turkey, and the potential risk factors for it., Study Design: The study was performed on mothers during the 6-week postpartum visit at home. A questionnaire that was devised to collect data on basic demographic information on the mothers and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were applied. A total of 210 mothers were interviewed between January and April 2002, and 178 of them whose data were complete were analyzed. We evaluated EPDS cutoff scores > or =12., Results: With an EPDs cutoff score of > or =12, the prevalence of PPD was 40.4%. Such factors as the husband's unemployment and a low educational level, living in a rented house, and having psychological or other problems during a previous pregnancy were the most significant risk factors for PPD. In the logistic model, the family's preference for a male infant in the previous pregnancy, female infant in the previous delivery and unwanted pregnancy were associated with PPD. The OR for these 3 variables and their 95% CI are, respectively, OR = 3.10, 95% CI 1.57-6.12; OR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.09-4.37, and OR = 2.84, 95% CI 1.22-6.61)., Conclusion: The prevalence of PPD was high. Although the risk factors were similar to those in other studies, other family members' mention of wanting a son can cause depression in the mothers.

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is defined as a major depression occurring after delivery. Depression in mothers postpartum may affect the development of the infant and life quality of the mother negatively. In this study, PPD prevalence in the first 2 months after delivery was compared with the prevalence in later periods., Methods: This study was conducted in 2001 in the province of Mersin in Turkey. In-home questionnaires were given to nonpregnant married women age 15-44 years from primary healthcare centers identified through a multistage, stratified sampling method. Depression was defined as a score of 13 or higher on the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS)., Results: Data were available on 1447 women. PPD prevalence was 29.0% at 0-2 months, 36.6% at 3-6 months, 36.0% at 7-12 months, and 42.7% >or= 13 months postpartum. PPD prevalence in the 0-2-month postpartum period was lower than in the other groups (F = 4.6, p < 0.01). The prevalence increased with the time since delivery. When compared with the prevalence in months 0-2, PPD risk was 1.41 times greater in months 3-6, 1.37 times greater in months 7-12, and 1.82 times greater in months >or=13 (chi-square for trend test = 11.7, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: In this Turkish population, PPD prevalence was substantial at all time points. The prevalence was at its lowest level before the second postpartum month and increased with time. The decrease in the intensive social and physical support given to the mother immediately after delivery may explain this trend.

Background: There are few studies reporting depression in the postnatal period in developing countries. In this study our objective was to evaluate women from eastern Turkey in the postnatal one-year period in order to analyse the risk factors for depression., Methods: In this cross-sectional, multi-centre study, we selected a study sample from five eastern provinces. Among 2602 randomly selected women who gave birth within the last year, we included 2514 women in our analysis. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used for the evaluation of depression., Results: The percentage of women with high depression scores was 27.2%. Excess risk of depression was associated with several factors including unemployment, low education, poverty, poor family relations, low marital age, lack of medical services, and mental health problems., Conclusions: Depression in postnatal women is an important public health problem in the less developed eastern part of Turkey.

Background: In some periods of a woman's life the risk of depression increases and the postnatal period is one of these. The prevalence and the risk factors of postnatal depression are not systematically studied in Turkey. The aim of this study is to investigate the epidemiological aspects and the cultural factors that may affect postnatal depression in our country., Method: According to the records of ten primary health care centres in Manisa, a city in western Turkey, there were 1,337 women who had given birth in the previous 6 months. A sample group of 317 mothers were randomised among these women and 257 (81.7%) of the sample group could be reached. Data were collected by use of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and a questionnaire on sociodemographic variables designed for this study., Results: The mean depression score was found to be 7.54 +/- 4.66. When the cut-off point was taken into consideration, 14% of mothers had a syndromal depression. The factors which affected the prevalence of depression were the number of living children, living in a shanty, being an immigrant, serious health problems in the baby, previous psychiatric history, psychiatric disorder in the spouse, and having bad relations with the spouse and his parents., Conclusion: These findings revealed that the prevalence of postnatal depression in the Manisa province and the factors affecting it were very similar to other studies; but the negative impact of bad relations of the mother with her family-in-law on postnatal depression seems to be a distinguishing aspect of Turkish culture.