Prevalence and Correlates of Depression in Pregnancy Among Turkish Women

The aim of this study was to evaluate prevalence and correlates of depression in pregnancy among Turkish women in Sivas, a semi-urban region consisting partly of people with low or middle socioeconomic status. This cross-sectional population-based study was conducted in 19 primary health care centers from urban areas of Sivas in Turkey. Two hundred fifty-eight eligible pregnant women were interviewed at their home to gather the study data. A questionnaire was used to determine the socio-demographics and obstetric characteristics of the study sample. The Turkish version of the Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to estimate the prevalence of depression. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) was used to determine the social support of pregnant women. We found that with the cutoff of 13, of 258 pregnant women, 71 (27.5%) had prenatal depression. Mean EPDS score of the study population was 9.5 ± 5.2. We found a significant positive mild-moderate correlation between the EPDS score and maternal age (r = 0.30; P = 0.000). Significant positive mild correlations were found between the EPDS score and gravidity (r = 0.26; P = 0.000) and number of living children (r = 0.15; P = 0.042). There was a significant negative moderate correlation between the EPDS score and perceived social support score (r = −0.43; P = 0.000). The EPDS score of multiparas was significantly higher than that of primiparas (P = 0.000). EPDS scores of women with unplanned pregnancy were higher than those of women with planned pregnancies (P = 0.006). EPDS scores of women with a history of stillbirth were higher than those of women with no history of stillbirth (P = 0.044). Depression is a major public concern that needs to be at the forefront of antenatal assessments in Turkey as in other countries. Health professionals, especially nurses in prenatal settings, are in a unique position to detect antenatal depression. Nurses need to monitor pregnant women for depressive symptoms, especially those who are at increased risk of developing depression.     

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women's experience when interacting with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale: a brief note

Background: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is one of the most widely used screening instruments for maternal perinatal anxiety and depression. It has maintained its robust performance when translated into multiple languages, when used prenatally and when used with perinatal fathers; thus the tool is also known as the Edinburgh Depression Scale (EDS). However, there have been no published psychometric data on versions of the EPDS adapted for screening Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. We describe the development of ‘translations’ of the EPDS and report their basic psychometric properties. Method: During the Queensland arm of the beyondblue National Postnatal Depression Program (2001–2005), partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women were forged. At TAIHS’ stand alone “Mums and Babies” unit 181 women of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent were recruited into the study through their antenatal and postnatal visits and 25 were recruited at Mt Isa. Participants completed either the translation or the standard version of the EPDS both antenatally and postnatally. Results: The ‘translations’ of the EPDS demonstrated a high level of reliability. The was a strong correlation between the ‘translations’ and the EPDS. The ‘translations’ and the standard EPDS both identified high rates of women at risk of depression although the ‘translations’ identified higher rates. Conclusion: We argue that the ‘translation’ may have been a more accurate predictor of perinatal women at risk for depression, but acknowledge that a lack of validity evidence weakens this conclusion.     

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in jimma university specialized hospital

Background

Hypertensive disorders represent the most common medical complications of pregnancy with a reported incidence between 5 and 10%. The disorders are major causes of maternal and perinatal morbidities and mortalities. This study was conducted to determine the pattern and outcomes of pregnancies complicated by hypertensive disorders.

Methods

Hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted on all mothers who gave birth in the labor ward of Jimma University Specialized Hospital from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010. Data was collected by interviewing the mothers and review of their medical records using structured questionnaire and checklist, respectively. Data analysis was performed using SPSS for windows version 16.0.

Result

Majority (52.5%) of the mothers were in the age group of 25 - 34 years. The overall prevalence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was 8.5%. Severe preeclampsia accounted for 51.9% of the cases followed by eclampsia (23.4%). Residential area of the mothers (urban/rural) was found to have statistically significant association with severity of the disorder. Most (66.5% and 74.7%) of the mothers were nulliparous and had antenatal care follow-up during the index pregnancy, respectively. Antenatal care follow-up and parity had no statistically significant association with severity of the disease. The case fatality rate of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was 1.3% with perinatal mortality of 317.1/1000 births.

Conclusion

Pregnancies complicated by hypertensive disorders have poor maternal and perinatal outcomes and rural women were more affected. Quality antenatal care services with good obstetric and neonatal care at delivery are essential for early recognition and management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.     

Improved perinatal health through qualified antenatal care in urban Phnom Penh,Cambodia

Objectives  The aim of this study is to examine the utilities of antenatal care with comprehensive health education qualified in Phnom Penh for the health of mothers and infants during perinatal and postpartum periods. Attention was given to the existing socioeconomic disparties among women in this urban area, and the utilities were discussed irrespective of socioeconomic status. Methods  A total of 436 pregnant women in an urban area in Phnom Penh were selected using a complete survey in randomly sampled villages and were followed up. Participating in antenatal care with comprehensive health education at least three time was regarded as the use of “qualified antenatal care” during pregnancy. In this study, we investigated the independent associations of the use of qualified antenatal care with the following outcome variables after the adjustment for the influence of socieconomic variables: postpartum maternal health knowledge, postpartum maternal anemia, low birth weight, and infant immunization. Results  Of the 314 subjects who completed the follow-up examination, 66.8% used qualified antenatal care during pregnancy. The use of qualified antenatal care was positively associated with postpartum maternal health knowledge (OR=2.38, 95% CI: 1.12–5.05). and reductions in the incidences of postpartum anemia (OR=0.22,95% CI: 0.05–0.95) and low birth weight (OR=0.05,95% CI: 0.01–0.39) after the adjustment of the influence of socioeconomic status. The infants born to mothers who used qualified antenatal care had significantly higher coverage of BCG, DPT₁, and DTP₃ immunizations (P<0.001,P<0.001, andP<0.01, respectively), independent of their socioeconomic conditions. Conclusion  This study shows the solid utilities of qualified antenatal care in Phnom Penh for perinatal health.     

陕西省育龄妇女围孕期钙补充与单胎小于胎龄儿的关联性探索分析

目的 探讨陕西省育龄妇女围孕期钙补充与单胎新生儿小于胎龄儿（SGA）发生风险之间的关联性。方法 采用多阶段随机整群抽样方法，以面对面问卷调查方式收集2010-2013年陕西省30个区（县）曾经怀孕且结局明确的育龄妇女及其生育子女信息。以单胎新生儿是否为SGA为因变量，分别以育龄妇女围孕期和不同孕期是否进行钙补充为自变量，调整协变量，采用广义线性混合模型进行建模分析。结果 最终纳入育龄妇女28 357名，年龄（28.08±4.74）岁；农村居民占79.28%；围孕期钙补充率达60.90%。单胎新生儿中，女婴12 810名（45.17%），体重为（3.27±0.16）kg，胎龄（277.44±8.80）d；SGA发生率为11.35%，其中母亲围孕期进行钙补充SGA发生率为10.48%，母亲围孕期未进行钙补充SGA发生率为12.70%。母亲是否为高龄产妇、母亲户籍、母亲职业、母亲产次、母亲文化程度、家庭经济状况对其围孕期是否进行钙补充的影响，差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）。广义线性混合模型在调整上述协变量后，结果显示，育龄妇女围孕期进行钙补充，其单胎子女发生SGA风险减少16%（OR=0.84，95%CI：0.77~0.92）。进一步对围孕期的不同时期分析显示，孕中期和孕晚期进行钙补充对新生儿SGA发生风险的降低差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。围孕期钙补充与SGA结局关联的亚组分析显示，非高龄产妇、母亲文化程度较低且家庭经济状况为中等，其围孕期进行钙补充与其单胎新生儿是否为SGA之间差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论 育龄妇女围孕期进行钙补充与陕西省单胎新生SGA的发生风险降低有关。     

中国孕产妇不同时点抑郁状态转归及持续抑郁状态影响因素分析

目的:了解孕产妇在孕产期不同阶段的抑郁状况与各时点的自然转归情况,分析其影响因素。方法:中国疾病预防控制中心妇幼保健中心联合北京市海淀区妇幼保健院、山西省妇幼保健院、吉林省妇幼保健院、广东省珠海市妇幼保健院和广东省深圳市妇幼保健院5家妇幼保健机构共同构建了中国孕产妇心理健康队列研究,于2015年8月1日至2016年10...     

Occurrence and Correlates of Postpartum Depression in Overweight and Obese Women: Results from the Active Mothers Postpartum (AMP) Study

Objective Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant concern for new mothers and their infants, as well as the health professionals who care for them. Obesity may be a risk factor for depression, and therefore, for PPD specifically. We examined the occurrence and risk factors for PPD in a sample of overweight and obese new mothers. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 491 women who were overweight or obese prior to pregnancy completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) 6 weeks postpartum, along with a number of other health- and pregnancy-related measures. Occurrence of depression was investigated, as well as bivariate and multivariate relationships between depression and demographic and health-related characteristics. Results As determined by an EPDS score of 13 or higher, the prevalence of PPD was 9.2%. Three items on the scale stood out as drivers of the total score (“blame myself unnecessarily”, “anxious or worried,” “feel overwhelmed”). Bivariate correlates of depression included education, income, marital status, and self-reported chronic illness; income remained significant in the multivariate logistic regression model. BMI was not related to postpartum depression. Discussion In this group of overweight and obese women, there was no association between BMI group and postpartum depression.     

Patterns of use of a maternal mental health service in a low‐resource antenatal setting in South Africa

The prevalence of perinatal common mental disorders in South Africa is high, yet little is known about mental health service use among pregnant and postnatal women. This paper reports on pregnant women's patterns of use of a counselling service at a primary level obstetric facility in Cape Town, South Africa, between January 2010 and December 2011. It investigates whether these are associated with demographics, severity and risk of depressive symptoms. Participants (N = 3311) were screened for psychological distress using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at their first antenatal visit. Risk factors for antenatal depression were assessed using a 11‐item checklist. Questionnaires were self‐administered, but some participants required assistance. Participants scoring positive (≥13) on the EPDS were offered referral to on‐site, individual counselling, and assigned to one of three groups according to their service use: declined referral; accepted referral and attended counselling sessions; and accepted referral but defaulted all appointments. Consent to participate was received by 3437 (96.4%) participants who were offered screening, of which 627 (18.9%) screened positive on the EPDS. Of these, 363 (57.9%) attended counselling. Both bivariate analyses and regression analyses revealed that age and risk factor assessment score were associated with screening positive on the EPDS. Odds ratios (OR) for accepting counselling were OR = 0.94 (95% CI = 0.92–0.97) for gestation, OR = 1.27 (95% CI = 1.15–1.39) for EPDS score and OR = 0.48 (95% CI = 0.23–0.99) for reporting three or more risk factors. OR for attending counselling were, for age: OR = 1.06 (95% CI = 1.00–1.12) and for reporting three or more risk factors: OR = 0.60 (95% CI = 0.37–0.97). While the majority of women with psychological distress accessed the counselling service provided, strategies to increase service use of younger pregnant women specifically are required.     

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of women towards antenatal care: rural-urban comparison

Pregnancy is a period at which a woman's health is placed at risk. However, health care professionals providing antenatal care (ANC) can reduce that risk by monitoring women' health regularly arid offering both preventive and curative services. Worldwide, an estimated 515,000 women die of pregnancy-related causes, a rate of over 1,400 maternal deaths each year. The overwhelming majority of these deaths and complications occur in developing countries. Effective ANC, appropriate emergency treatment of complications and competent referral level encompass the most effective answers to reduction of maternal deaths. Data related to rural/urban difference concerning knowledge, attitudes and practices of women towards ANC in Alexandria are lacking. The present study is aimed at comparing knowledge, attitudes and practices towards ANC between rural and urban women in Alexandria and also, to identify certain related factors. A cross-sectional, community- based house-to-house survey was conducted in Alexandria using cluster-sampling technique (30 clusters from urban areas and30 clusters from rural areas). Each cluster consisted of 5 women who had given birth within the last 2 years preceding the survey. Urban women had a higher mean total score for their knowledge on ANC than their counterparts of rural women, with a statistical significant difference (11.23 +/- 2.91 and 6.59 +/- 4.14, respectively and Z = 9.73, P < 0.001). Also, Urban women had a significantly higher mean total score for their attitudes towards ANC compared to the rural women (10.66 +/- 2.33 versus 8.55 +/- 2.39, P < 0.001). Concerning maternal practices, the current study revealed rural/urban disparities as significantly higher proportions of urban women had proper practices during antenatal period in their last pregnancy as regards utilization, earlier initiation and frequent visits of antenatal care. On the other hand, nearly half of urban women (45.3%) had not been vaccinated during their last pregnancy compared to only 24.7% of rural ones, (P < 0.001).     

Perinatal depressive symptoms among Arab women in northern Israel

Perinatal depression, a prevalent condition with negative consequences for the mother, infant and family, has been reported in many countries. This study aimed to assess the scope of depressive symptoms among pregnant and postnatal Israeli Arab women and to identify possible risk factors. Data were collected from a screening program at 58 Mother-Child Health Care clinics in northern Israel from June to December, 2009. Participants included 1,254 pregnant and 2,326 postnatal women. The rate of antenatal depressive symptoms, i.e., a score of ≥10 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was 20.8%. Women attending clinics with primarily religious or traditional populations had lower rates antenatally than did those described as secular. During the postnatal period 16.3% of the women scored ≥10 on the EPDS. The rate of postnatal depressive symptoms was significantly higher among women living in Moslem than Druze communities (EPDS ≥ 10: 19.0% vs. 13.4%, respectively, P = 0.01). Postnatally, there were no significant differences according to SES cluster, community size, or religious orientation. The rate of antenatal and postnatal depression among Arab women in northern Israel was somewhat higher than that of Jewish Israeli women in the same region, and considerably lower than that of Arab Bedouin women in southern Israel. Given the differences in their life styles and circumstances, health policy authorities should be informed regarding the needs of these various sub-populations.     

Cultural Capital and Self-Rated Health in Low Income Women: Evidence from the Urban Health Study, Beirut, Lebanon

This paper examines the association between cultural capital and self-rated psychosocial health among poor, ever-married Lebanese women living in an urban context. Both self-rated general and mental health status were assessed using data from a cross-sectional survey of 1,869 women conducted in 2003. Associations between self-rated general and mental health status and cultural capital were obtained using χ ² tests and odds ratios from binary logistic regression models. Cultural capital had significant associations with self-perceived general and mental health status net of the effects of social capital, SES, demographics, community and health risk factors. For example, the odds ratios for poor general and mental health associated with low cultural capital were 4.5 (CI: 2.95–6.95) and 2.9 (CI: 2.09–4.05), respectively, as compared to participants with high cultural capital. As expected, health risk factors were significantly associated with both measures of health status. However, demographic and community variables were associated with general health but not with mental health status. The findings pertaining to social capital and measures of SES were mixed. Cultural capital was a powerful and significant predictor of self-perceived general and mental health among women living in poor urban communities.Khawaja and Mowafi are with the Center for Research on Population and Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Box: 11-0236, Riad El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon.     

智力低下儿童的病因及相关致病因素分析

目的:了解2005~2009年温州市6~11岁智力低下(mental retardation,MR)儿童的病因构成特点及相关致病因素。方法:对就诊患儿采用儿童韦氏智力量表进行诊断,并进行病例对照研究及COX回归分析。结果:诊断MR儿童268例,病因明确者202例,占75.30%。其中生物医学因素所致164例,占61.10%;社会心理因素38例,占14.17%。农村MR儿童染色体病的人数高于城市,城市MR儿童受社会心理因素影响致病的人数高于农村(P均<0.01)。产前、产时和产后各种病因在农村和城市间差异无统计学意义(P均>0.05);病例对照生物危险因素分析及COX回归分析结果显示,早产、出生时窒息、母孕期接触化学物质和近亲结婚可使MR发生的风险增高。结论:加强孕期保健和产前诊断,提高产科质量,积极防治后天获得性疾病是预防MR的关键。     

Use of High-Technology Care Among Women with High-Risk Pregnancies in the United States

Objective: Infant mortality has been reduced dramatically with the development of perinatal regionalized high-technology care. Our objective was to assess use of high technology care among women with high-risk pregnancies in the urban and rural United States. Methods: The 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey was linked to the 1988 American Hospital Association survey of all obstetrical hospitals. Hospitals were classified into five levels of care based on services and staffing. Women were classified as having high-risk pregnancies using two definitions: (1) gestational age <34 weeks and birthweight <1500 g (High Risk I) and (2) the first definition or an antenatal high-risk medical diagnoses (High Risk II). Analyses assessed the proportion of high-risk women delivering in appropriate locations in the rural and urban United States and explored how personal characteristics, insurance status, and use and source of prenatal care influenced where high-risk women delivered. Results: 71.2% of High Risk I and 55.9% of High Risk II women delivered in a high-technology facility (Level IIA or III). Fifty percent of HRI rural women delivered in tertiary high-technology hospitals and 39% of HRII rural women delivered in a high-technology hospital. High-risk urban women were two to three times more likely to deliver in a high-technology facility compared to their rural counterparts. The multivariate analysis showed that Black high-risk women were more likely to deliver in a high-technology setting and that receipt of prenatal care in a private setting lowered the odds of delivering in a high-technology setting when other factors were controlled. Conclusions: In an era where regionalized perinatal care was not threatened by managed care, a large proportion of high-risk women received care in less than optimal settings. Rural high-risk women delivered in high-technology hospitals less often than their urban counterparts. The multivariate analyses implied that the potential barriers to care may be more important among those considered more socially advantaged, who may be more at the mercy of managed care. The current reimbursement environment, which discourages referral to specialists and high-technology care, could result in less access today.     

Common perinatal mental disorders in northern Viet Nam: community prevalence and health care use

Objective

To establish the prevalence of common perinatal mental disorders their determinants, and their association with preventive health care use among women in one rural and one urban province in northern Viet Nam.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of cohorts of pregnant women and mothers of infants recruited systematically in 10 randomly-selected communes. The women participated in psychiatrist-administered structured clinical interviews and separate structured interviews to assess sociodemographic factors, reproductive health, the intimate partner relationship, family violence and the use of preventive and psychiatric health care. Associations between these variables and perinatal mental disorders were explored through univariate analyses and multivariable logistic regression.

Findings

Among women eligible for the study (392), 364 (93%) were recruited. Of these, 29.9% (95% confidence interval, CI: 25.20–34.70) were diagnosed with a common perinatal mental disorder (CPMD). The frequency of such disorders during pregnancy and in the postpartum period was the same. Their prevalence was higher among women in rural provinces (odds ratio, OR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.19–3.93); exposed to intimate partner violence (OR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.12–3.96); fearful of other family members (OR: 3.36; 95% CI: 1.05–10.71) or exposed to coincidental life adversity (OR: 4.40; 95% CI: 2.44–7.93). Fewer women with a CPMD used iron supplements than women without a CPMD, but the results were not statistically significant (P = 0.05). None of the women studied had ever received mental health care.

Conclusion

Perinatal depression and anxiety are prevalent in women in northern Viet Nam. These conditions are predominantly determined by social factors, including rural residence, poverty and exposure to family violence. At present the needs of women with common perinatal mental disorders are unrecognized and not attended to and their participation in essential antenatal preventive care appears to be compromised.     

Sociodemographic predictors of antenatal and postpartum depressive symptoms among women in a medical group practice

OBJECTIVE: Data are scarce regarding the sociodemographic predictors of antenatal and postpartum depression. This study investigated whether race/ethnicity, age, finances, and partnership status were associated with antenatal and postpartum depressive symptoms. SETTING: 1662 participants in Project Viva, a US cohort study. DESIGN: Mothers indicated mid-pregnancy and six month postpartum depressive symptoms on the Edinburgh postpartum depression scale (EPDS). Associations of sociodemographic factors with odds of scoring >12 on the EPDS were estimated. MAIN RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 9% at mid-pregnancy and 8% postpartum. Black and Hispanic mothers had a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms compared with non-Hispanic white mothers. These associations were explained by lower income, financial hardship, and higher incidence of poor pregnancy outcome among minority women. Young maternal age was associated with greater risk of antenatal and postpartum depressive symptoms, largely attributable to the prevalence of financial hardship, unwanted pregnancy, and lack of a partner. The strongest risk factor for antenatal depressive symptoms was a history of depression (OR = 4.07; 95% CI 3.76, 4.40), and the strongest risk for postpartum depressive symptoms was depressive symptoms during pregnancy (6.78; 4.07, 11.31) or a history of depression before pregnancy (3.82; 2.31, 6.31). CONCLUSIONS: Financial hardship and unwanted pregnancy are associated with antenatal and postpartum depressive symptoms. Women with a history of depression and those with poor pregnancy outcomes are especially vulnerable to depressive symptoms during the childbearing year. Once these factors are taken in account, minority mothers have the same risk of antenatal and postpartum depressive symptoms as white mothers.     

Development of a prenatal psychosocial screening tool for post-partum depression and anxiety

McDonald S, Wall J, Forbes K, Kingston D, Kehler H, Vekved M, Tough S. Development of a prenatal psychosocial screening tool for post‐partum depression and anxiety. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 2012; ?? : ??–??. Background: Post‐partum depression (PPD) is the most common complication of pregnancy in developed countries, affecting 10–15% of new mothers. There has been a shift in thinking less in terms of PPD per se to a broader consideration of poor mental health, including anxiety after giving birth. Some risk factors for poor mental health in the post‐partum period can be identified prenatally; however prenatal screening tools developed to date have had poor sensitivity and specificity. The objective of this study was to develop a screening tool that identifies women at risk of distress, operationalized by elevated symptoms of depression and anxiety in the post‐partum period using information collected in the prenatal period. Methods: Using data from the All Our Babies Study, a prospective cohort study of pregnant women living in Calgary, Alberta (N = 1578), we developed an integer score‐based prediction rule for the prevalence of PPD, as defined as scoring 10 or higher on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 4‐months postpartum. Results: The best fit model included known risk factors for PPD: depression and stress in late pregnancy, history of abuse, and poor relationship quality with partner. Comparison of the screening tool with the EPDS in late pregnancy showed that our tool had significantly better performance for sensitivity. Further validation of our tool was seen in its utility for identifying elevated symptoms of postpartum anxiety. Conclusion: This research heeds the call for further development and validation work using psychosocial factors identified prenatally for identifying poor mental health in the post‐partum period.     

The Association Between Rural-Urban Continuum, Maternal Education and Adverse Birth Outcomes in Québec, Canada

ABSTRACT:  Context: Rural relative to urban area and low socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with adverse birth outcomes. Whether a graded association of increasing magnitude is present across the urban-rural continuum, accounting for SES, is unclear. We examined the association between rural-urban continuum, SES and adverse birth outcomes. Methods: Singleton births from 1999 to 2003 (n = 356,147) were linked to Québec municipalities ranked on a continuum of 3 urban and 4 rural areas based on population and economic base. Maternal education was used to represent SES. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated for preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW), and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth, accounting for municipality and individual-level covariates. We used stratified analyses to examine interaction between SES and rural-urban continuum. Findings: Relative to metropolitan area residence, living in small urban or rural areas was associated with adverse birth outcomes. Living in rural areas was associated with SGA birth (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.05-1.17) and LBW (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.05-1.26), and living in small urban areas was associated with PTB (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.08-1.20). Upon stratification by education, living in remote rural relative to metropolitan areas was associated with adverse birth outcomes among university educated mothers only, and living in small urban areas was associated with adverse birth outcomes among mothers with lesser but not higher education. An SES gradient was present in all rural-urban areas, particularly for SGA birth. Conclusion: Differences in perinatal health exist across the rural-urban continuum, and maternal education has a modifying influence.     

Regional comparison of dietary intakes and health related behaviors among residents in Asan

Inadequate dietary intakes and poor health behaviors are of concern among rural residents in Korea. This study is conducted to compare dietary intakes, dietary diversity score (DDS), mean nutrient adequacy ratio (MAR) and health related behaviors by rural, factory and urban areas in Asan. A total of 930 adults (351 men and 579 women) were interviewed to assess social economic status (SES), health related behaviors and food intakes by a 24-hour recall method. Mean age was 61.5 years with men being older (64.8 years) than women (59.3 years, p<0.001). Men in the factory area were older than rural or urban men while urban women were the youngest. Education and income of urban residents were higher than other area residents. There were more current drinkers in urban area while smoking status was not different by regions. Physical activity was significantly higher in rural or factory areas, whilst urban residents exercised more often (p<0.05). Rural or factory area residents considered themselves less healthy than others while perceived stress was lower than urban residents. Energy intakes were higher in urban residents or in men, however, after SES was controlled, energy intake did not show any differences. Energy-adjusted nutrient intakes were significantly higher in the urban area (p<0.05) for most nutrients except for carbohydrate, niacin, folic acid, vitamin B₆, iron and fiber. Sodium intake was higher in factory area than in other areas after SES was controlled. DDS of rural men and MAR of both men and women in the rural area were significantly lower when SES was controlled. In conclusion, dietary intakes, diversity, adequacy and perceived health were poor in the rural area, although other health behaviors such as drinking and perceived stress were better than in the urban area. In order to improve perceived health of rural residents, good nutrition and exercise education programs are recommended.     

Perinatal Mental Health in Lesbian Mothers: A Review of Potential Risk and Protective Factors

ABSTRACT

Postpartum depression and other perinatal mental illnesses are common complications of childbirth. The majority of research on these conditions has been conducted in heterosexual women; however, increasing numbers of women are choosing to parent in the context of lesbian relationships. Although many of the fundamental aspects of the transition to parenthood are shared between lesbian and heterosexual mothers, lesbian mothers may differ from heterosexual parents on a number of variables that have been previously associated with perinatal mental health. Lesbian mothers may be more likely than their heterosexual peers to lack social support, particularly from their families of origin, and may be exposed to additional stress due to homophobic discrimination. However, the likelihood that lesbian pregnancies will be planned, together with the relatively equal division of child- care labour observed in lesbian couples, may offer protection from perinatal depression. The study of perinatal mental health in lesbian mothers is warranted, both to ensure that the mental health needs of this largely invisible population are being met, and to further illuminate the role of psychosocial stress in perinatal mental health in all women.