Common Risk Factors for Postpartum Depression among Mothers after Childbirth in Asian Countries: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Depression is the most common mental illness which leads to various health consequences among mothers following the delivery of their babies. Post-partum depression leads to self-harm, suicidal ideation, or harming the newborn, hurting family life. Early detection and management of depression during the antenatal period would prevent both maternal and neonatal complications. Hence, knowing the risk factors may help in planning care for individuals reducing the burden on the health care system. There is a lack of exact evidence of the common risk factors for developing depression after childbirth in Asian mothers. Therefore, this systematic review aims to identify the common risk factors for post-partum depression among mothers after childbirth in Asian countries. Relevant literature from 2017 to 2023 was searched in CINAHL, MEDLINE, PUBMED, Science Direct, and Cochrane databases. Seven highly relevant articles were selected using the PRISMA flow chart. Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) and its tools were used to carry out the critical analysis of each selected article. Following the in-depth analysis, three key themes were derived: an unfriendly home builds an unhappy mother, expectation versus reality leads to depression, and poor financial status leads to an unsafe post-partum period. The study highlighted that mothers in Asian countries are affected by a wide variety of complex post-partum depression risk factors. Improving knowledge, early detection of emotional needs, counseling, effective use of contraceptives, and delivery of high-quality care during the ante-natal period are necessary for reducing post-partum depression among antenatal mothers.