IS11-4 Trans-cultural and biological aspect of Postpartum psychiatric illnesses among Japanese women

The rate of occurrence of the three main postpartum psychiatric conditions - the maternity blues, postnatal depression and postpartum psychosis, have been investigated among Japanese mothers. Comparisons of our dam with results of studies in Western countries suggest that the incidence of the blues and postnatal depression of Japanese mothers are all lower than that of the West. The reasons of these phenomenon might be socio-culturally explained by remarkable low ratio of births outside of marriage, low employment rate of women during the childbirth and childcare period. Other cultural influences may be also relevant, for example the Japanese custom of Satogaeri Bunben. The custom and family supports building in around the birth process may therefore play a part in reducing rates of depression. Postpartum psychosis might be expected to occur at a rate that is independent of rave and culture and, in Japan, but it is, nevertheless, slightly lower. Differences within the Japanese culture and between Japanese and Western mothers will be discussed in relation to rates of postnatal psychiatric disorders. Endocrine changes around parturition are the same across all ethnic group and our studies of selected physiological measures in relation to the blues and postnatal depression in Japanese women reveal that plasma cortisol concentrations on the 3rd and 4th days postpartum are elevated in women with the blues in comparison with control subjects. Serum T3 and T4 concentrations are decreased in women with postnatal depression. The significance of these endocrine findings will also be discussed.