Journal of Cancer Research
ISSN: 2578-3726 | DOI: 10.64030/2578-3726
Aurangzaib Alamgir Khan Babar, Tayyaba Usman, Waqas Akram, Waleed Ahmed, Linta Ehsan, Zainab Bibi, Waleed Ahmad, Misha Khan, Shahid Latif, Nayyer Shamim and Ali Akhtar
Background Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mood disorder that affects 28–63% of women, predominantly within the first year of childbirth. Cultural, environmental, and economic context in Pakistan will play a role in the level of support women do receive and that support will differ between teen mothers and adult mothers.
Objective To investigate the impact of emotional, instrumental, and informational social support during and after pregnancy on the incidence of PPD among teenage (15–19 years) and adult (20+ years) women in Lahore, Pakistan. Methods At Services Hospital Lahore, 400 mothers (43 percent teenagers and 57 percent adults), who had given birth in the previous 12 months participated in a cross-sectional study. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to measure depressive symptoms. Structured questionnaires were used to gather information on social support, pregnancy history, and sociodemographic factors. Independent predictors of PPD were found using multivariate logistic regression.
Results The prevalence of PPD was 28.3%, with adult mothers more affected (31.7%) than teenage mothers (23.8%)—a statistically significant difference. Key predictors of PPD included low family income (AOR = 2.40), lack of husband support (AOR = 3.96), and dissatisfaction with the baby's sex (AOR = 0.29). Postnatal social support significantly reduced the risk of PPD, while antenatal support showed no adjusted effect.
Conclusion Postnatal social support is crucial in reducing the risk of PPD, especially for adult mothers. Strengthening family and social support systems, improving economic conditions, and addressing cultural stigma are essential to improving maternal mental health in Pakistan.