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Delivery mode and the course of pre- and postpartum depression

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To compare depressiveness scores, both during and after pregnancy, with the delivery mode (DM).

Methods

In a longitudinal, prospective study, standardized questionnaires for the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale were presented to 1,100 women and used to assess the presence and severity of depressiveness at three time points: prenatal, from the 30th gestational week (Q1); 48–72 h postnatal (Q2); and 6–8 months postnatal (Q3). The patients were divided into four groups relative to DM: spontaneous delivery, primary cesarean section (CS), secondary CS, and assisted vaginal delivery. The final number of participating women with both delivery mode and depression information for all three time points was 753.

Results

There was a significant difference of the mean EPDS values between the spontaneous delivery and primary CS groups (P = 0.04) at Q1 (5.1 vs. 6.3). None of the other comparisons was significant. Significant differences relative to DM were seen at Q2 (P < 0.0001), but there were no significant differences between the patient groups at Q3 (P = 0.54).

Conclusions

DM only showed coherence with the extent of depression briefly during the peripartal period. A relationship was found between depressiveness during pregnancy and DM, with higher depressiveness scores in the group of patients undergoing primary CS. This should be taken into account when patients requesting an elective cesarean section are being counseled.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the postgraduate doctoral candidates who took part in conducting FRAMES for collecting the data (Sandra Ammon, Karina Dietze, Kirstin Meier, Susan Pau, Diana Thiessen, and Franziska Wörlein), and to the midwives at the Perinatal Center for Franconia for their assistance in recruiting patients for inclusion in the study. We thank Udo Reulbach for his support in the data management and Franziska Voigt for the support in the patient recruitment.

Conflict of interest

The authors hereby declare that there are no financial or personal relationships with other persons or organizations that might inappropriately influence their research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Perinatal Center for Franconia, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Universitätsstrasse 21–23, 91054, Erlangen, Germany

    Claudia Rauh, Anne Engel, Lothar Häberle, Peter A. Fasching, Matthias W. Beckmann, Tamme W. Goecke & Florian Faschingbauer

  2. Department of Developmental Psychology, Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Andrea Beetz

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Pascal Burger & Johannes Kornhuber

Authors
  1. Claudia Rauh
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  2. Andrea Beetz
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  3. Pascal Burger
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  4. Anne Engel
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  5. Lothar Häberle
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  8. Matthias W. Beckmann
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  9. Tamme W. Goecke
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  10. Florian Faschingbauer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Florian Faschingbauer.

Additional information

City in which the study was conducted: Erlangen (Federal State: Bavaria, Country: Germany).

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Rauh, C., Beetz, A., Burger, P. et al. Delivery mode and the course of pre- and postpartum depression. Arch Gynecol Obstet 286, 1407–1412 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-012-2470-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-012-2470-8

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