Prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms during the first 6 months postpartum: Association with maternal age and parity

Abstract Background Depressive symptoms are common in postpartum women. The present study aimed to describe changes in the prevalence of depressive symptoms during the first 6 months postpartum, and their association with maternal age and parity. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted with 3769 women at 13 hospitals in Japan. Depressive symptoms were measured during hospital stay and at 1, 2, 4, and 6 months postpartum, using the Japanese version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The effects of maternal age and parity were assessed by comparing four groups: younger primiparas (aged