Prevalence of Postpartum Anxiety and its Related Factors in Gorgan, North of Iran (2018)

Near to 30% of women experience some type of anxiety disorder in their life, which this anxiety occurs more often in pregnancy and after delivery. Maternal anxiety reduces secretion of oxytocin and lactation. On the other side, the level of maternal stress and anxiety increasingly increases the incidence of postpartum. This study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of postpartum anxiety in Gorgan north of Iran during 2018.

This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 154 women between 15-45 years old and it has passed at least one week to maximum six weeks since their delivery whom referred to obstetrics clinic of Shahid Sayyad Shirazi hospital in Gorgan, North of Iran during 2018. Demographic check list was used to collect the demographic. Data and Spielberg anxiety scale was used to measure anxiety.

Anxiety disorders after childbirth was 41.99%. The overt anxiety score of postpartum women in severe, moderate, mild and little or none level was 8.4%, 44.2%, 27.9%, 19.5%, respectively. The hidden anxiety score of postpartum women in severe, moderate, mild and little or none level was 9.7%, 48.1%, 24.7%, 17.5%, respectively. The overt anxiety score in employee mothers was significantly higher than housewive mothers (P<0.05). The overt anxiety score in women with marital discord was significantly higher than in women without marital discord (P<0.05). Ther was not significant relationship beween overt and hidden anxiety score with the type of delivery, mother's education, mother's residency and familial income.

The prevalency of postpartum anxiety disorders was high in this region and it was related to job and marital discord.