• So Hyun Shim, Su Young Lee, Inkyung Jung, Seok-Jae Heo, You Jung Han, Dong Wook Kwak, Min Hyoung Kim, Hee Jin Park, Jin Hoon Chung, Ji Hyae Lim, Moon Young Kim, Dong Hyun Cha, Sung Shin Shim, Hee Young Cho, and Hyun Mee Ryu.
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, CHA Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University, Seoul, Korea.
• J. Korean Med. Sci. 2024 Jan 22; 39 (3): e31e31.

BackgroundPostpartum depression (PPD) can negatively affect infant well-being and child development. Although the frequency and risk factors of PPD symptoms might vary depending on the country and culture, there is limited research on these risk factors among Korean women. This study aimed to elucidate the potential risk factors of PPD throughout pregnancy to help improve PPD screening and prevention in Korean women.MethodsThe pregnant women at 12 gestational weeks (GW) were enrolled from two obstetric specialized hospitals from March 2013 to November 2017. A questionnaire survey was administered at 12 GW, 24 GW, 36 GW, and 4 weeks postpartum. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and PPD was defined as a score of ≥ 10.ResultsPPD was prevalent in 16.3% (410/2,512) of the participants. Depressive feeling at 12 GW and postpartum factors of stress, relationship with children, depressive feeling, fear, sadness, and neonatal intensive care unit admission of baby were significantly associated with a higher risk of PPD. Meanwhile, high postpartum quality of life and marital satisfaction at postpartum period were significantly associated with a lower risk of PPD. We developed a model for predicting PPD using factors as mentioned above and it had an area under the curve of 0.871.ConclusionDepressive feeling at 12 GW and postpartum stress, fear, sadness, relationship with children, low quality of life, and low marital satisfaction increased the risk of PPD. A risk model that comprises significant factors can effectively predict PPD and can be helpful for its prevention and appropriate treatment.© 2024 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

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