Is Postnatal Depression A Cause For Concern Two Years After Delivery, If So Should The Postnatal Care System Be Modified To Suit Women Needs (2011)

This final year dissertation project strives to understand possible causes of postnatal depression (PND) past the six months period during which this type of depression in known to manifest itself. This research is quantitative as well as qualitative in its approach and aims to identify symptoms of depression amongst a sample of sixty-seven women. The factors tested as possible causes of depression were, period, in which symptoms of depression appear, type of support, employment and ethnicity.

These were tested quantitatively. The qualitative data was meant to provide information on how women experience the postnatal care service in order to be able to detect possible faults in the community care system, which may contribute to an increase of depression amongst women postpartum. These data was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Results did show that symptoms of PND were present in women up to two years postpartum.

Ethnicity was found to be a contributor to depression, however no significant association was found between employment, type of support and PND. The outcomes as well as weaknesses of the design are discussed, in relation to previous findings.

The purpose of the pilot study was to experiment on a design which would be suitable to use for a study on postnatal depression on a larger scale. The design consisted of interviewing twenty women on a one- to- one basis on their postpartum experience. The data was recorded on to an audio cassette player, and then later transcribed onto paper before being analysed.

The interviews were semi- structured in order to allow participants to offer information, which may have had relevance towards finding possible causes of PND. Eligibility consisted of women who had suffered intervention during pregnancy, as well as women who had had a natural birth. Included were also participants whose pregnancy was planned as well as those whose pregnancy was unplanned.

The analysis of data was done by grouping together the material, which had similar phrases, patterns themes, relationships and sequences. The results from the qualitative data pointed towards a possible link between intervention during birth and symptoms of depression and between lack of support and PND.

• 8,000 words – 34 pages in length
• Good use of literature
• Good in depth analysis
• Includes questionnaire
• Ideal for nursing and health students

Introduction
Pilot study

Main Study
Design
Participants
Measures
Procedures

Quantitative Analysis
Qualitative Analysis
Lack of communication from medical staff, a link to negative birth experience
One to one midwifery a preferred method of delivery
Making excuses for an inadequate system
Support

Discussion

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

References

Appendix