Prevalencia y factores de riesgo para depresión en mujeres postparto

Introduction. The objectives of the research are to determine the prevalence of major depression after childbirth and compare it with that of non-postpartum women; and to study the risk factors for postpartum depression. Method. We studied 425 women: 321 women in the first postpartum year, 41 nulliparous women and 63 women with more than 1 year postpartum. Results. The prevalence of major depression in the first postpartum year was 5.92%; this value was significantly lower than that of the women with more than 1 year postpartum. In women with less than 2 years postpartum we found less depression than in those with more than 2 years of delivery. The risk factors associated with postpartum depression found by logistic regression were: obsessive-compulsive disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, previous major depression, maternity blues, young age and lower educational grade. Conclusions. Our study does not support the existence of a greater prevalence of major depression during postpartum in Peruvian women.