Postpartum depression in Cypriot New Mothers

Abstract

ABSTRACT Postpartum depression is a complex phenomenon affecting many women immediately following childbirth. The present study examined the incidence of postpartum depression in a sample of 226 new mothers in Cyprus in relevance to specific socio-economic and psychological background variables. Participants completed the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) on the 4 th day after delivery. The results showed that 21.3% of the participants experienced depression according to the BDI, and 13.7% were at risk of developing postpartum depression as indicated by the EPDS. These results were found to relate to psychopathology existing prior to childbirth, whilst variables such as age, profession and educational level did not relate to postpartum depression