Abstract:
Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) negatively impacts the caring process for newborns
and family health. PPD affects 17.22% (95% CI 16.00-18.51) of the global population. However,
a very few studies have examined and compared maternal and paternal psychological health
during the early postpartum period.
Objective: To assess PPD during the immediate postnatal period among parents attending the
Lactation Management Centre at District General Hospital, Gampaha, Sri Lanka
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Lactation Management
Centre, district general hospital, Gampaha, using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and a
simple random sampling method. The assessment utilized the validated Edinburgh Postnatal
Depression Scale (EPDS), a 4-point Likert scale (0-3) questionnaire, to assess PPD. The
questionnaire consists of 10 questions, with a potential score range of 0-30. Data analysis was
performed using SPSS version 25.0.
Results: The study consisted of 210 individuals. Fathers had an average age of 30, while mothers
had an average age of 28. The majority of the participants had studied up to G.C.E. O/L education
(fathers: 31.4%, n=66; mothers: 42.9%, n=90). Unemployment rates were 2.9% for fathers and
65.7% for mothers. Most couples (95.7%) were married, with an average family income of 68 786
LKR. Possible, fairly high, and probable PPD were reported among mothers at a higher prevalence
compared to fathers (possible: 24.3% for fathers, 5.7% for mothers; fairly high: 20% for fathers,
4.3% for mothers; probable: 11.4% for fathers, 4.3% for mothers). Results indicate that both
maternal and paternal PPD were associated with unplanned pregnancy, perceiving the baby as a
problem, lack of paternity leave, and insufficient family income (p<0.05). Additionally, a
significant association was reported between maternal and paternal postpartum depression
(χ²=130.57, p<0.05).
Conclusion: Both maternal and paternal postpartum depression are prevalent, highlighting the
necessity for tailored support and intervention initiatives for both parents.
