Is there a correlation between prepartum anaemia and an increased likelihood of developing postpartum depression? A prospective observational study

Purpose Postpartum depression (PPD) represents a significant challenge to maternal and child health. Early screening for PPD is essential to ensure appropriate treatment and support. The present study aimed to assess whether maternal prepartum anaemia influences the likelihood of developing PPD within 3 days after delivery. Methods In collaboration with the Department of Psychiatry, a prospective observational study was carried out at the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department of the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli” in Naples. A total of 211 full-term pregnant women were enrolled, and their predelivery haemoglobin value was recorded. Women with gestational diabetes, hypertension, pre-eclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, intellectual disability, or pre-existing diagnosis of psychotic spectrum disorder were excluded. Participants provided written informed consent to fill out the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) 3 days after delivery. EPDS cut-off score of ≥ 10 was used to identify women at risk of developing PPD. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t test, the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test, and linear regression. Results The participants were categorized into 2 groups based on EPDS scores: EPDS 10 group (11.62 ± 1.27 g/dl) were not significantly different ( p = 0.52). There was no significant correlation between the predelivery haemoglobin value and the EPDS postpartum score of