Post Partum Depression – a Problem that Needs Urgent Attention

Abstract

Post partum depression (PPD) is a serious mental health condition that has severe acute and chronic effects on mothers, infants, their families and society. In contrary to general reported prevalence of 10-20% in western countries, PPD has been shown to affect up to 60% of mothers in some communities [1]. Despite having valid tools for screening, PPD is often under diagnosed, especially in developing countries [2]. In Sri Lanka, a national estimate for PPD is not available. However, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), which is the most widely accepted tool for screening of PPD was validated and used in a large scale study in Puttalam district in 2004. According to this study, the prevalence of postpartum depression was 32.1% in Puttalam [3]. The purpose of the present study was to estimate the national prevalence of PPD in Sri Lanka.