Postpartum Depression Symptoms in Newcomers

Abstract

Objectives: To determine if postpartum depression (PPD) symptoms are more common in newcomer women than in Canadian-born women. Methods: Refugee, nonrefugee immigrant, asylum-seeking, and Canadian-born new mothers were administered questionnaires for depression, social support, interpersonal violence, and demographic information. We created a PPD variable based on a score of ⩾10 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and performed a logistic regression analysis for PPD. Results: Immigrants (35.1%), asylum seekers (31.1%), and refugees (25.7%) were significantly more likely than Canadian-born (8.1%) women to score ⩾10 ( P = 0.008) on the EPDS, with the regression model showing an increased risk (odds ratio) for refugee (4.80), immigrant (4.58), and asylum-seeking (3.06) women. Women with less prenatal care were also more likely to have an EPDS of ⩾10 ( P = 0.03). Newcomer women with EPDS scores of ⩾10 had lower social support scores than Canadian-born women ( P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Newcomer mothers have an increased risk for PPD symptoms. Social support interventions should be tested for their ability to prevent or alleviate this risk.