Prevalence and factors related to postpartum depression among women in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam in COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Nguyen Thien Huy , Nguyen Minh Chau , Nguyen Manh Hoan 
Published: July 2024

Objectives: Depression has been proven as one of the most predominant medical disorders of the perinatal period. The  harms associated with depression in the postpartum period on the health of mothers and their babies have important  implications with policy of public health. In Vietnam, postpartum depression in women has been presented in several  reports, in which, the ratess are ranging from 8.2 to 48.1% of the total number of pregnant women. This study aimed to  identify the possible risks of developing postpartum depression in Dong Nai province, Vietnam, during the fourth wave of  COVID-19 pandemic.  
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted between 15 November 2021 and 15 February 2022 at Dong  Nai General Hospital in Dong Nai province, using a structured questionnaire and an Edinburgh Postpartum Depression  Scale. Each research subject interviewed twice: in hospitalization period (when woman was in hospital) with the survey  questionnaire and in postpartum period (within 4 - 12 weeks after birth) with EPDS scale. Data processing using SPSS  26 software (IBM Corp.). Chi-squared, and Fisher’s exact tests were performed to compare the proportions. Multiple  regression analysis models were used identify the possible risk factors for postpartum depression. Threshold of  significance was set at 0.05.  
Results: Of 414 women who met the inclusion criteria of this study, 124 were COVID-19 positive. The rates of postpartum  depression during the pandemic was 14.5%. The risk of postpartum depression was lower in the planned pregnancy  group than in the unplanned group (OR = 0.53; 95% CI (0.34 - 0.85)). Besides, the risk of postpartum depression was  higher in the group of weak children/postnatal death than in the group with healthy children (OR = 3.03; 95% CI (1.67 -  5.49)). People with COVID-19 was found with higher risk of postpartum depression than those without (OR = 1.73; 95% CI  (1.04 - 2.88)). Family violence was found to correlate with postpartum depression (p = 0.03). A good spousal relationship  after childbirth reduced the risk of postpartum depression (OR = 0.22; 95% CI (0.13 - 0.35)). There was an association  between educational level and postpartum depression (OR = 2.05; 95% CI (1.30 - 3.25)). Regarding pregnant women with  COVID19, the higher the education, the higher the risk of depression (p = 0.002). The risk of depression economically  difficult group is higher than in the normal group (OR = 3.29; 95% CI (1.61 - 6.73)). In the group with COVID-19 and family  violence, there was a 2.46 times higher risk of postpartum depression compared with the group without family violence  (p = 0.05). Economic difficulties increase the risk of depression (p < 0.001). Women diagnosed with COVID-19 in the late  stage of pregnancy have higher rates of postpartum depression compared to their counterparts in the earlier stage (OR  = 3.72; 95% CI (1.24 - 11.18)).  
Conclusions: Major cities in Vietnam have examined postpartum depression, but Dong Nai hospitals still paid minimal  attention to this issue. Integratesd reproductive health care can aid in the early diagnosis of postpartum depression and  the prevention of its negative effects on the patient, the individual, and the community. Pregnant women are frequently  affected by postpartum depression and should be evaluated early with quick, reliable, and inexpensive screening. This  problem of postpartum depression in Dong Nai could be tackled with the involvement of psychiatrists, psychologists,  sociologists, and obstetricians in the prevention period.