Social support and depression across the perinatal period: A longitudinal study

Aims and objectives: To report changes in the prevalence of depression and the level of social support at three different time points in the perinatal period (late pregnancy, 1 week postpartum and 4 weeks postpartum) and to examine the relationship between depression and social support at these points in time. Background: Social support is a modifiable factor for depression. Existing research is limited to examining social support at a single time point in relation to antepartum or postpartum depression. Design: A longitudinal study. Methods: In total, 240 pregnant women were recruited from the prenatal clinic at a general hospital in China between June-September 2013. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Perceived Social Support Scale were used to measure the risk of depression and perceived social support at late pregnancy, within the first week postpartum, and at 4 weeks postpartum. Results: The Perceived Social Support Scale scores within the first week after birth were higher than scores at the late pregnancy and postpartum week 4, while the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores at late pregnancy were higher than scores at the two postpartum times. Women who had higher Perceived Social Support Scale scores at late pregnancy had less likelihood of developing antepartum depression, and women with higher Perceived Social Support Scale scores at postpartum week 4 were less likely to have postpartum depression. However, the Perceived Social Support Scale scores at late pregnancy did not predict the risk of postpartum depression. Conclusion: The study revealed that social support perceived by women changed over the perinatal period. Social support at each stage of the perinatal period was an important buffer against depression at this stage. Relevance to clinical practice: An increased focus on the relationship between social support and depression at each stage of the perinatal period is necessary for future research and practice.