Prevalence and associated risk factors of postnatal depression in south asian region—a systematic review

Background: Postnatal depression is an important complication of child-bearing and can have long-term adverse consequences for both mother and child. Objective: To estimate the prevalence and identify the associated factors of postnatal depression in South Asian region. Method: Observational cohorts and surveys were searched in Medline, Cinhal, ProQuest, and Scopus databases from 2005 to 2016. Original articles published in English language were included in the study. Results: Of 324 articles, 28 studies (15,345 samples) were eligible for analysis. The overall prevalence rate of depression during postnatal period was 26% (0.21, 0.30 CI). Risk factors for postnatal depression were grouped under following categories: Demographic, psychological, social, obstetric and infant. Conclusion: Health care professionals should screen the women for possible risk factors and depressive symptoms during perinatal period so that suitable interventions can be initiated if required in a timely fashion.