The postnatal depression: an exploratory study in a sample of Spanish women from the Valencian Community

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to analyse the existence of postnatal depression (anxiety and depression) in a sample of women from the Valencian Community (East of Spain) as well as its evolution two months after delivery. A sample of 101 women resident in the City of Valencia and surrounding villages, that gave birth in the Maternal Ward of the University Hospital “La Fe” of Valencia, were surveyed. Depression was assessed by means of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; Cox, Holden y Sagovsky, 1987),the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; Spielberger, Gorsuch y Lushene, 1970) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; Beck, Rush, Shaw y Emery, 1979). The main results point out that a high percentage of women overcome the cut-off points established for diagnosis of depression according to EPDS in both moments of the study (32% and 26% respectively). Depression level was related with bad pregnancy and difficulties of coping with the new experience (p ≤ 0,05). An important prevalence of postnatal depression was observed. The ways they live pregnancy and cope with changes have proved to be related to depression in these women.