Postnatal depression and infant growth and development in low income countries: a cohort study from Goa, India.

V Patel; N DeSouza; M Rodrigues; (2003) Postnatal depression and infant growth and development in low income countries: a cohort study from Goa, India. Archives of disease in childhood, 88 (1). pp. 34-37. ISSN 0003-9888 DOI: 10.1136/adc.88.1.34

Copy

BACKGROUND: Postnatal depression is a recognised cause of delayed cognitive development in infants in developed countries. Being underweight is common in South Asia. AIMS: To determine whether postnatal depression contributes to poor growth and development outcomes in Goa, India. METHODS: Cohort study for growth outcomes with nested case-control study for developmental outcomes. A total of 171 babies were weighed and measured at 6-8 weeks following birth. The following measures were used: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for maternal mood, and sociodemographic and infant health variables. Outcome measures were: weight (<5th centile), length (<5th centile), and Developmental Assessment Scale for Indian Infants scores at six months. RESULTS: Postnatal depression was a strong, and independent, predictor of low weight and length and was significantly associated with adverse mental development quotient scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence for the first time that postnatal depression, a potentially treatable disorder, is a cause of poor growth and development in South Asia.

Item Type	Article
Keywords	Adult, Case-Control Studies, Cohort Studies, Depression, Postpartum, Developing Countries, Developmental Disabilities/*etiology, Female, Human, India, Infant, Infant, Low Birth Weight, Infant, Newborn, Male, Sex, Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Adult, Case-Control Studies, Cohort Studies, Depression, Postpartum, Developing Countries, Developmental Disabilities, etiology, Female, Human, India, Infant, Infant, Low Birth Weight, Infant, Newborn, Male, Sex, Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
ISI	180231400013