Postpartum Depression in Domestic Violence Victims In Arequipa, Peru

Abstract

Introduction: Postpartum depression is a risky condition for mothers and their babies, even more so, when it is associated with domestic violence.
Objective: To analyze the association between postpartum depression and domestic violence in women from Arequipa, Peru.
Methods: An observational, prospective and cross-sectional design was carried out to evaluate 288 puerperal women who attended the Obstetric Service at a level III hospital. To this purpose, the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale and the Intimate Partner Violence Index are used, with prior informed consent.
Results: 27.8% of these women had postpartum depression and the associated factors were arguments with their partners and physical and non-physical violence.
Conclusions: The regression analysis of this research concludes that arguments with their partners and physical violence are associated with higher probability of postpartum depression in postpartum women. Hence, it would be important to design interdisciplinary intervention programs, and to propose public policies that strengthen prevention, diagnosis and treatment of women with postpartum depression on the basis of the information obtained.