Abstract
ObjectivesAmongst women with a history of depression, this study sought to identify risk factors associated with reporting perinatal depression (PND)). Lifetime prevalence, length and severity of PND were evaluated, as well as the effect of PND onset either after previous depression episodes, or as the first episode of depression.SettingThe Australian Genetics of Depression Study (AGDS), an online case cohort study of the etiology of depression.ParticipantsIn a large sample of parous women who met DSM criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) (n=7,182), we identified two subgroups of PND cases (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score >= 13) with and without prior depression history (n=2,261; n=878 respectively). For a range of risk factors, both subgroups were compared to women with MDD who did not report depressive symptoms in the perinatal period (non-perinatal depression (NPD) cases). PND cases with prior depression history were compared to NPD cases with depression onset before their first pregnancy (n=672). PND cases without prior depression history were compared to all NPD cases (n=2,124).Primary and secondary outcome measuresDescriptive measures reported lifetime prevalence, length, and severity of PND. Logistic regression compared a range of characteristics of PND cases to those of the comparison group of NPD cases.ResultsOf women who experienced depression prior to first pregnancy, PND cases were significantly more likely to report more episodes of depression (OR=1.1 per additional depression episode, CI=[1.1-1.1], P=1.9e-13), non-European ancestry (OR=1.5, CI=[1.0-2.1], P=3.4e-02), severe nausea during pregnancy (OR=1.3, CI=[1.1-1.6], P=6.6e-03) and emotional abuse (OR=1.4, CI=[1.1-1.7], P=5.3e-03). Women without any depression before their first perinatal episode were significantly more likely to report emotional abuse (OR=1.3, CI=[1.1-1.6], P=1.0e-02) than women with NPD.ConclusionsThe majority of parous women in this study experienced PND, associated with more complex, severe depression. Results highlight the importance of perinatal assessments of depressive symptoms, particularly for women with a history of depression or childhood adverse experiences.