CAMPOS, Franklin Kristoffer P.

BSN III-2

7-3 DUTY ITRMC OB WARD

Pregnancy Complications can Increase Development of Postnatal Depression

Complications around the time of birth can increase the risk of postnatal depression, says new research published today in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Many women experience complications during pregnancy. These can include medical problems such as pre-eclampsia, deep vein thrombosis, problems with the baby for example poor growth and fetal distress and problems during labor leading to emergency caesarean section. Dutch researchers looked at 4941 pregnant women who had enrolled in the Generation R Study, a multi-ethnic population-based cohort following urban babies from in the womb through to young adulthood. Information on pregnancy complications was gathered and researchers calculated the risk of postnatal depression for the various complications. Two months after giving birth, the mothers were assessed for signs of postnatal depression using the Edinburgh scale, a widely used scoring method looking at how the mother is feeling which ranges from 0, meaning no depression, to 30, meaning very depressed. Little research has been undertaken before looking at how complications during pregnancy are associated with postnatal depression. The results showed that several pregnancy complications were associated with postnatal depression and the risk of developing depression increased with the number of complications women experienced. Of the total number who took part in the study, eight percent of women went on to develop postnatal depression. Women who experienced one complication were given an odds ratio of 2.26 for developing postnatal depression and this rose to 5.47 for women who had four or five complications. The most important risk factors for developing depression included pre-eclampsia, hospitalization during pregnancy, emergency caesarean section, concern about fetal distress and admission of the baby to special care. Women who developed depression

were more likely to be young, poorly educated and of non-Western origin. It is estimated around 10 percent of new mothers encounter postnatal depression with most cases developing in the first three months after giving birth. Depressive symptoms can vary from mild complaints and 'maternity blues' to clinically diagnosed postnatal depression. It is often not diagnosed early enough, resulting in women being depressed for longer before they are given effective treatment. Pauline Jansen, from the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Erasmus MCSophia and co-author on the paper said: "Our study showed that various complications during pregnancy and delivery are associated with an increased risk of postpartum depression in women 2 months after giving birth. Women who experienced more than two perinatal complications are especially at a high risk of developing postpartum depression. "These are important findings, particularly given the high prevalence of some of the perinatal complications. Health care practitioners involved in the care for pregnant or postpartum women and their babies should be aware of the substantially increased risk of postpartum depression associated with complicated pregnancies and difficult deliveries. This increased awareness might contribute to quicker diagnosis of postpartum depression." Professor Philip Steer, BJOG editor-in-chief, said: "The detection and treatment of postnatal depression is an essential part of caring for new mothers and their babies. It is important that healthcare professionals are aware of the link between complications and postnatal depression and work together to detect depressive symptoms in women. Few studies before this have looked at this area and further research is needed to build on these findings."

Reference Blom EA, Jansen PW, Verhulst FC, Hofman A, Raat H, Jaddoe VWV, Coolman M, Steegers EAP, Tiemeier. Perinatal complications increase the risk of postpartum depression: the Generation R Study. BJOG 2010; http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2010.02660.x

SUMMARY:
Complications around the time of birth can increase the risk of postnatal depression, says new research published today in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Many women experience complications during pregnancy. These can include medical problems such as pre-eclampsia, deep vein thrombosis, problems with the baby for example poor growth and fetal distress and problems during labor leading to emergency caesarean section.

Two months after giving birth, the mothers were assessed for signs of postnatal depression using the Edinburgh scale, a widely used scoring method looking at how the mother is feeling which ranges from 0, meaning no depression, to 30, meaning very depressed. Little research has been undertaken before looking at how complications during pregnancy are associated with postnatal depression. The results showed that several pregnancy complications were associated with postnatal depression and the risk of developing depression increased with the number of complications women experienced.

The most important risk factors for developing depression included pre-eclampsia, hospitalization during pregnancy, emergency caesarean section, concern about fetal distress and admission of the baby to special care. Women who developed depression were more likely to be young, poorly educated and of non-Western origin. It is estimated around 10 percent of new mothers encounter postnatal depression with most cases developing in the first three months after giving birth. Depressive symptoms can vary from mild complaints and 'maternity blues' to clinically diagnosed postnatal depression. It is often not diagnosed early enough, resulting in women being depressed for longer before they are given effective treatment.

REACTION:
In the Journal, it says that Pregnancy complications can Increase the development of Postnatal Depression, which is true. Because once that the patient experience problems, We are greatly affected, for example, A pregnant woman who has Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, her case was serious, there might be a possibility that her child will die. If the baby will die, the mother will suffer so much, she will become depress because her baby died and that is because of her pregnancy complication. The detection also and treatment of postnatal depression is an essential part of caring for new mothers and their babies. It is important that healthcare professionals are aware of the link between complications and postnatal depression and work together to detect depressive symptoms in women. Few studies before this have looked at this area and further research is needed to build on these findings, so I am agree on what is article on the journal that pregnancy complications will increase the development of Depression.