Selected Factors of Experiencing Pregnancy and Birth in Association with Postpartum Depression

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is to analyse the risk of postpartum depression using dimensions of perceived support (information, emotional, and physical), antenatal education (satisfaction and attitude), and attitude toward pregnancy (wanted or unwanted). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 584 postpartum women in two university birth centres in Slovakia. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score was used. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance, as well as logistic regression, were employed in the study. Found associations were adjusted for education level, type of birth, psychiatric history, and age. RESULTS: As many as 95.1% of women reported their pregnancy as being wanted. Antenatal education, particularly satisfaction with it, showed a negative association with the EPDS score level. No significant differences in depression levels were found considering attitude toward pregnancy and perceived support. CONCLUSIONS: The study pointed out the significance of antenatal education to lower the risk of the postpartum depression. One of the important criteria of effective education is a woman's subjective satisfaction with it.