DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2023.v11i05.007

Pages: 850-856

Background: The postpartum period is a challenging and stressful transition phase for new mothers, accompanied by increased risk of Post partum depression (PPD). Althouh numerous studies have assessed the relationship between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and PPD, research evidence regarding the possible association of GDM and obesity with PPD is scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the incidence of PPD in primiparous women with obesity and GDM and establish if there is an association between PPD, GDM and obesity. Methods: This is a retrospective record-based study of women with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2 and suffering from GDM attending the primary health care centres in PHCC for first prenatal visit up to 8 weeks post-delivery. PPD diagnosed as Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score ≥9. We computed BMI using self-reported pre-pregnancy weight and measured height. Logistic regression used to estimate odds of primary outcome. Results: The data comprised of a total of 2800 patients of various nationalities. This spectrum included Indians 431 (15.4%), Egyptian 334 (11.9%), Qatari 381 (13.6%), Pakistani 257 (9.2%), Syrian 199 (7.1%), Yemini 158 (5.6%), Sudanese 123 (4.4%), Filipino 118 (4.2%), Tunisian 77 (2.8%), Jordanian 156 (5.6%). Off these patients with increased EPDS risk score 771(27.5%) had a history of GDM and 193(6.9%) had a history obesity respectively. The data compiled showed an increased risk association of obese women with depression (p=0.040) as compared to the GDM (p=0.526) subgroup. All patients’ data was categorised as mild, moderate, or severe risk in accordance with the EPDS screening tool. The risk association was 1.957 times more in those patients with severe risk as compared to the patients with mild risk (p=0.008). Conclusion: Our results showed that pregnant women particulary those who are overweight had an increased succeptibility to developing PPD as per the EPDS scores.