Research paperLiving with parents or with parents-in-law and postpartum depression: A preliminary investigation in China

- The prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) was 11.8% in our study.
- Puerperal women living with their parents-in-law had higher risk of PPD compared with those living with their husbands.
- No association was found between living with puerperal women's parents and PPD.

BackgroundFew studies have investigated the association between puerperal women's living situation and postpartum depression. The aim of this study was to examine the association between living with parents or with parents-in-law and postpartum depression among Chinese puerperal women.MethodsA total of 1126 participants who completed questionnaire were included in our analysis. Postpartum depression status was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between living with puerperal women's parents or with parents-in-law and risk of postpartum depression after adjustment for potential confounders.ResultsThe prevalence of postpartum depression among participants was 11.8%. Of the 1126 participants, 524 (46.5%) lived only with their husbands, 387 (34.4%) lived with their parents-in-law, and 215 (19.1%) lived with their parents. Compared with those living only with their husbands, puerperal women living with their parents-in-law had higher risk of postpartum depression after adjustment for potential confounders (OR=2.48; 95% CI: 1.20, 5.15). No association between living with puerperal women's parents and postpartum depression was found after adjustment for confounders (OR=1.05; 95%CI: 0.42, 2.65).LimitationsAlthough we adjusted for a wide range of potential confounders, we cannot rule out the possibility of residual confounding by other unmeasured factors, such as breastfeeding, intimate partner violence, and marital relationship.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that living with parents-in-law may be a risk factor for postpartum depression among Chinese puerperal women. Future preventive interventions should include strategies that target the puerperal women who lived with parents-in-law.