Postnatal depression in women in Primary Health Care
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17267/2317-3378rec.2025.e6121Keywords:
Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Period, Primary Health CareAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of postpartum depression among women attending primary health care consultations. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024 with puerperal women enrolled in two Unidades Básicas de Saúde (Primary Health Care Units) in Marituba, Pará. Data collection included obstetric and socioeconomic questionnaires and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS, Likert-type). Descriptive analyses were performed using Microsoft Excel. RESULTS: Thirty-four women participated. Most were aged 24–29 years (47%), had incomplete secondary education (38%), one child (47%), and no history of miscarriage (65%). During prenatal care, 58% attended 4–9 consultations, 64% cared for the baby alone, and 97% reported no previous use of antidepressant medication. EPDS scores ranged from 5 to 24, with 58% (n = 20) scoring ≥12, indicating risk for postpartum depression. Although all participants reported the ability to laugh and see the funny side of things, high frequencies of negative symptoms were observed: guilt without reason (100%), feeling overwhelmed by daily tasks (100%), anxiety (80%), unexplained fear or panic (90%), and thoughts of self-harm (60%). Severe symptoms, such as frequent crying, were less frequent. CONCLUSION: Anxiety, emotional overload, and negative feelings were the most prevalent symptoms, with a significant proportion of women at potential risk of self-harm. Findings underscore the need for systematic postpartum depression screening and training of multidisciplinary teams for early detection and timely intervention.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Josué Araújo de Souza, Gabriela Xavier Pantoja, Thais Cristina Flexa Souza Marcelino, Antonio Jorge Silva Correa Júnior, Luana Cristina de Souza Barbosa
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
