• Paul Odinka, Jaclyn Odinka, Mark Ezeme, Appolos Ndukuba, Kennedy Amadi, Rosemary Muomah, Stanley Nwoha, and Ujunwa Nduanya.
• Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus.
• Afr Health Sci. 2019 Sep 1; 19 (3): 251525252515-2525.

BackgroundPostpartum depression and anxiety could cause poor mother-infant relationship that could impair infant growth and cognitive development. Psychiatric assessment has not been part of periodic evaluations in postnatal clinics. Some apparently well, but high-risk mothers continue to live with psychological distress, without treatment to relieve their burden.ObjectivesThe study assessed the prevalence of postpartum anxiety and depression, their co-morbidity, and socio-demographic predictors, within 6 - 14 weeks postpartum among nursing mothers in two tertiary hospitals in Enugu, South-East Nigeria.MethodsA cross-sectional study that was carried out at the postnatal and children's welfare clinics of two tertiary hospitals in Enugu, South-East Nigeria. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Social Support Scale and Socio-demographic Questionnaire were used for the study. Correlations and multiple regressions were used to test for associations and risk factors.ResultsOccurrence rate for anxiety and depression were 30.1% and 33.3% respectively with a co-morbidity rate of 22%. Low social support and multigravida predicted risk factors for postpartum psychological distress, while a higher number of children alive predicted a decrease in the risk for postpartum psychological distress.ConclusionThe study supports service planning and the development of strategies to reliably identify women at high-risk, for effective treatment.© 2019 Odinka et al.

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