Psychological Abuse During Pregnancy Linked to Postnatal Depression

Postnatal depression is strongly linked to psychological abuse by an intimate partner during pregnancy, independent of any physical or sexual violence, according to the research of Dr. Ana Bernarda Ludermir of the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil and colleagues at the School of Social and Community Medicine at the University of Bristol.

These findings are significant as most social policies currently focus on prevention and treatment of physical violence only.

A total of 1,045 women between the ages of 18 and 49 years were included in the study and interviewed during pregnancy and after delivery. The women, who were receiving care at primary health care clinics during their third trimesters, were given a questionnaire that assessed partner violence.

The findings showed that 270 (26 percent) of these women suffered from postnatal depression, and the most common form of abuse was psychological (28 percent).

Source: University of Bristol