Premenstrual syndrome as a risk factor for postpartum depression

Aim: to identify a possible association between postpartum depression (PPD) and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Materials and Methods. A total of 296 women who completed pregnancy to delivery initially agreed to participate in the cohort study, 260 completed the entire survey. All the women, who agreed to take part in the study, were offered three questionnaires. The first questionnaire was collected on day 7–10 postpartum, the second – in 6 weeks and the third – in 6 months after delivery. These questionnaires contained questions of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) and special questions identifying pre-pregnancy signs of PMS, as well as some lifestyle and medical history questions.

Results. Of 296 participants, 7.1 % had retrospectively identified symptoms of PMS, with 2.7 % showing severe symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). In the total cohort, there was a direct correlation between previous PMS and PPD occurring on day 7–10, 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum. After parity separation, this association remained statistically significant only in the multipara cohort.

Conclusion. The relationship between the presence of PMS and the development of PPD has been established. Parity can be considered a catalyst for this relationship. The discovered relationship is particularly important for predicting the occurrence of PPD, as well as for a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis, timely diagnosis, prevention, and choice of treatment methods for this complication of the postpartum period.

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