Page 191 - EJMO-9-2

Eurasian Journal of
Medicine and Oncology Prevalence of PPD in Baghdad

of ≥ 12. The EPDS is a 10-item self-report test, which is they cannot care for their babies; both of these factors are
widely regarded as effective, and is a common tool used strongly linked to PPD (p = 0.0001, 0.0001, respectively).
by the public to evaluate PPD development. The highest Table 5 shows that PPD is strongly associated with a lack
score for an EPDS score is 30 points, and each question is of family support (odds ratio [OR] 5), poor relationship
scored between 0 and 3 points. There are seven items with with husband (OR 3.7), previous depression (OR 4.8), and
negative scoring. 13-15 ability to care for the baby (OR 6.2).

2.3. Statistical analysis 4. Discussion
Data collection and analysis were performed using the PPD is a serious mental health issue. Although most of
Statistical Program for the Sciences in Society (version 21). PPD’s risk factors are preventable, the repercussions of
The chi-square test was used to examine the relationships this mental issue are still significant since they affect both
between PPD and the risk factors, with a p-value of 0.05 set the mothers and their newborns, as well as the family,
as a threshold of significance. specifically by diminishing the mothers’ ability to care for
their infants and even an older child, thus jeopardizing the
2.4. Ethical considerations marital relationship with their spouses. 16
All participants provided their verbal consent for The prevalence of PPD was approximately 50%,
joining the survey. By guaranteeing the anonymity of as assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression
the questionnaire, the confidentiality of their data was Scale (EPDS) using a cutoff score of 12 points. 13-15 Such
preserved. The information gathered was kept private and prevalence is considered high in comparison to studies in
utilized only for this study (Ethic Code: [528]). neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait

3. Results (33.2% and 21.03%, respectively). 17,18 The prevalence of
this study is consistent with the studies in India, which
There were 400 mothers participated in this study, with the has a prevalence rate of 48.5%, and this can be justified by
age range of 12 – 45 years and a mean age of 28 ± 6.7 years, using a lower cutoff score of 10 points, resulting in a higher
and 216 (54%) of them were in the age range of 20 – 29 years. prevalence of diagnosis. 19
Among the 400 participants, 320 (80%) were housewives,
constituting the highest proportion of the participants in In a study conducted in Kuwait, a higher cutoff value
terms of employment or occupation. About 307 (77%) of was used for PPD diagnosis, possibly reflecting a lower
the mothers were from Baghdad city while the rest were prevalence of PPD, while a study conducted in Saudi
Arabia adopted a cutoff value lower than that used in our
from Baghdad’s outskirts. In addition, 270 (67%) of the study, but the PPD prevalence estimated was still lower
participants were mothers of 1 – 3 children, 206 (51.5%) in comparison to our study. This may be due to Iraqi
were mothers of male newborns, and about 59 (15%) of women were grappling with the stress of past exposure
them had newborn children suffering from neonatal to the previous national war and subsequent violence
complications or obvious deformities. Concerning the against civilians as witnessed by our study’s participants.
mode of delivery, 238 (59%) of the participants chose to Furthermore, the economic difficulties faced by those
deliver by Cesarean sectioning. Tables 1 and 2 show that women make them more vulnerable to depression. 20
PPD exhibited a significant correlation with educational
attainment (p = 0.018), maternal complication (p = 0.0001), In a study conducted in China, the PPD prevalence was
21
and sex preference (p = 0.014). 27.3%. Although they used the same scale as in our study, a
higher cutoff score used in this study may contribute to the
Having received family support was reported by
371 (92.7%) of the participants while good marital differences in the results obtained. In our study, although
age has no significant effect on the prevalence of PPD, PPD
relationship was reported by 373 (93%) of the participants, was observed in two-thirds of the mothers in the teenage
with each of them linked significantly to PPD (p = 0.001, group (12 – 19), while two-thirds of the mothers in the
0.006, respectively). In addition, previous depression or older age group (40 – 49) did not have PPD. This finding
anxiety is also significantly associated to PPD (p = 0.0001) points to a contradiction with a study demonstrating a
in 173 (43%) of the participants (Table 3).
connection between a significantly increased risk of PPD
Table 4 illustrates the participants’ responses regarding and maternal age above 35, and another study showing
22
their desire for future pregnancies and the impact of their a decreased risk of PPD in the age group of below 40.
23
symptoms on the ability to care for their children. Among Such discrepancy is possibly attributed to the increase
400 participants, 140 (70%) of them did not desire or expect in maternal age in Iraq associated with increased parity,
further pregnancy, and 65 (32%) of them claimed that which is a protective factor against the development

Volume 9 Issue 2 (2025) 183 doi: 10.36922/ejmo.8528