[Screening for symptoms of depression during postpartum and the long term follow up: temporal stability and associated factors].

Aims: To describe the frequency of depressive symptoms compatible with a postpartum depression diagnosis, the associated factors and the temporal stability.

Methods: During 2006-2007 398 hospitalized puerperal women who attended CEMIC were interviewed 5 days after childbirth using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and a socio-demographic questionnaire. A logistic regression analysis was performed to identify associated factors with a positive screening. During the following 6-12 months a follow up was carried with two groups of similar characteristics.

Results: The frequency of depressive symptoms at post partum was 17.8% (cut off = 10). Depressive history and neonatal intensive care were significantly related to a positive screening. From the 110 interviewed women, 24 were positive in the follow-up.

Conclusion: The prevalence of risk for postpartum depression in the sample of patients surveyed is within the parameters reported in international literature. At the 6 month follow up, 6 previously asymptomatic women during the first screening turned on positive. It is theorize the existence of potential postpartum depression cases that can manifest up to a year after childbirth.