King Saud bin AbdulAziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Int J Psychiatry Med. 2012;43(3):243-59. doi: 10.2190/PM.43.3.d.
The purpose was to investigate the possible correlation or predictive relationship between breastfeeding and Postpartum Depression (PPD).
We conducted a prospective study in which 137 Arab women were assessed during pregnancy and postpartum. Current breastfeeding was correlated with postpartum outcomes (EPDS and MINI), employment, and use of formula at 2 and 4 months postpartum, as well as with other variables.
Women who were breastfeeding at 2 and 4 months had lower scores on EPDS (p < 0.0037 andp < 0.0001, respectively) and were less likely to be diagnosed with PPD at 4 months (p < 0.0025). Higher scores on EPDS and diagnosis of PPD at 2 months were predictive of lower rates of breastfeeding at 4 months (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.005, respectively). Women who were employed and using formula at 2 months were less likely to breastfeed at 4 months (p < 0.0001). Breastfeeding women at 2 months had lower scores on EPDS (p < 0.003) and were less likely to be diagnosed with PPD (p <0.05) at 4 months.
The results indicate that women who breastfeed their infants reduced their risk of developing PPD, with effects being maintained over the first 4 months postpartum. PPD may also decrease the rate of breastfeeding, suggesting a reciprocal relationship between these variables.
目的是调查母乳喂养与产后抑郁症（PPD）之间可能存在的相关性或预测关系。
我们进行了一项前瞻性研究，评估了 137 名阿拉伯妇女在怀孕和产后的情况。当前的母乳喂养与产后结果（EPDS 和 MINI）、就业以及产后 2 个月和 4 个月使用配方奶的情况以及其他变量相关。
在产后 2 个月和 4 个月时母乳喂养的女性 EPDS 评分较低（p<0.0037 和 p<0.0001），4 个月时被诊断为 PPD 的可能性较小（p<0.0025）。在产后 2 个月时 EPDS 评分较高和被诊断为 PPD 与 4 个月时母乳喂养率较低相关（p<0.0001 和 p<0.005）。在产后 2 个月时就业和使用配方奶的女性在 4 个月时母乳喂养的可能性较小（p<0.0001）。在产后 2 个月时母乳喂养的女性 EPDS 评分较低（p<0.003），在产后 4 个月时被诊断为 PPD 的可能性较小（p<0.05）。
结果表明，母乳喂养婴儿的女性降低了患 PPD 的风险，这种影响在产后头 4 个月持续存在。PPD 也可能降低母乳喂养率，这表明这些变量之间存在相互关系。
