مقاله انگلیسی رایگان در مورد خط سیر ۱۰ ساله افسردگی پس از زایمان مادران و پدران ژاپنی – الزویر ۲۰۲۵

Abstract

Background
Perinatal depression is a significant concern affecting both women and men during pregnancy and postpartum periods. While maternal postpartum depression has been extensively studied, paternal depression remains under-researched despite its prevalence and impact on family well-being. This study aimed to estimate the trajectories of perinatal and postpartum depression in Japanese parents over ten years and to determine the details of the symptoms of postpartum depression for each trajectory group, considering reciprocal effects between maternal and paternal depression.

Methods
A total of 789 couples used the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to rate their depressive symptoms prenatally; at 5 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year postpartum; and then yearly thereafter until the 10th year. Parallel-process latent class growth analysis was used to group participants according to their longitudinal patterns of depressive symptoms.

Results
For both mothers and fathers, four depressive symptom trajectories fit the data best and were most informative (escalating: 6.5 %; mothers low and fathers moderate: 17.2 %; mothers high and fathers low: 17.9 %; low: 58.4 %). A variance analysis showed significant class-parent interactions across anhedonia, anxiety, and depression subscales, indicating distinct patterns of depressive symptomatology.

Discussion
Tailored mental health programs and universal screening using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale are recommended to address the specific needs of each trajectory class. This study contributes to the understanding of long-term depressive symptom trajectories in parents and emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive support strategies to enhance family well-being and resilience.

Introduction

Perinatal depression is a significant concern that affects a considerable number of women during pregnancy and after childbirth, with prevalence rates ranging from 7 % to 20 % (Dadi et al., 2022). Similarly, postpartum depression was found to be prevalent in 14.3 % of Japanese women one month after childbirth (Tokumitsu et al., 2020a). However, both men and women are affected by postnatal depression. A meta-analysis of 74 studies with 41,480 participants found that paternal depression was present in 8 % of men in the included studies (Cameron et al., 2016). Approximately 10 % of Japanese men experience perinatal depression, highlighting that this condition is a concern for both sexes (Tokumitsu et al., 2020b). The mental health of both parents during the perinatal and postpartum periods is crucial, as it can significantly impact the overall well-being of children and families. A meta-analysis further revealed that 3.18 % of couples might experience perinatal depression simultaneously (Smythe et al., 2022). Longitudinal studies have also shown that depressive symptom trajectories can persist for up to 11 years postpartum (Mughal et al., 2023). Therefore, this study’s primary objective was to estimate the trajectories of perinatal and postpartum depression in Japanese parents and their associated risk factors, considering the reciprocal effects of postpartum depression on fathers and mothers.

Conclusion

This 10-year longitudinal study identified four distinct joint trajectories of mothers and fathers’ depressive symptoms from pregnancy to postpartum: low and stable for both parents, high for mothers and low for fathers, moderate for fathers and low for mothers, and escalating for both parents. The findings emphasize the importance of early detection and continuous monitoring of depressive symptoms, including anhedonia, anxiety, and depression, in both parents. Tailored mental health support programs are critical, especially for mothers in Class 2 and fathers in Class 4, who exhibit higher and prolonged symptoms. Despite limitations such as sample size reduction and external factors influencing results, the study adds to the growing body of knowledge on postpartum depression, underscoring the need for comprehensive and targeted approaches to support families and improve mental health outcomes through timely and appropriate interventions. Future research should include larger, more diverse populations to enhance generalizability and explore effective long-term intervention strategies.