Prenatal predictors of postpartum depression trajectories from birth to 24 months amongst smoking women.
Seth Frndak, Samie Syed, Julian Saleh and 2 others
PMID 34608698WHAT IT FOUND
Among 49 smoking or ex-smoking women, 53.1% had chronic postpartum depression.
Prenatal depression and low partner or family support were linked to more severe courses, especially when prenatal depression was low.
Key findings
01Among 49 women, three postpartum depression trajectories were found: non-PPD (9, 18.4%), transient (14, 28.6%), and chronic (26, 53.1%).
02After accounting for education, race and income, higher prenatal depression and lower partner or family/friends support were associated with more severe trajectories, while being married or having a partner sharing resources was associated with lower odds of a more severe trajectory.
03Social support was more strongly linked to less severe trajectories when prenatal depression was low; at higher prenatal depression, being married or having a partner sharing resources was not significant.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 49 women had enough postpartum data for the analysis. The study was powered to detect only large effects. The regression models may have been overfit because the sample was small. The analysis did not include antidepressant use, family history, or current therapies. Support was measured before birth and may not have stayed the same after birth. The findings apply to smoking or ex-smoking women, a large proportion of whom had low socioeconomic status.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest were reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that marriage, partner support, or family support prevents chronic postpartum depression. This analysis followed women rather than testing a support intervention, so it found associations, not proven effects.