Seasonality patterns in postpartum depression.

Abstract

To investigate the possible association between postpartum depressive symptoms and season of delivery. During 1 year, delivering women in the Uppsala University Hospital were asked to participate in the study by filling out 3 postpartum questionnaires containing the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression scale and questions assessing life style, medical history, breastfeeding, and social support. Two thousand three hundred eighteen women participated. Women delivering in the last 3 months of the year had a significantly higher risk of self-reported depressive symptomatology both at 6 weeks (odds ratio, 2.02, 95% confidence interval, 1.32-3.10) and at 6 months after delivery (odds ratio, 1.82, 95% confidence interval, 1.15-2.88), in comparison to those delivering April-June, both before and after adjustment for possible confounders. Women delivering during the last quartile of the year had a significantly higher risk for depressive symptoms 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum and would thus benefit from a closer support and follow-up after delivery.