Assessment of Postpartum Depression among Mothers at Maternity Teaching Hospital in Erbil City-Iraq

Background and aim: Postpartum period is the period that is associated with intense physical and emotional changes leading to anxiety and mood disturbances. The study aimed to assess the level of postpartum depression and to find out the association between levels of postpartum depression with demographic characteristics of mothers. Materials and method: A quantitative descriptive study, deals with 150 mothers who attending to the Maternity Teaching Hospital in Erbil City-Iraq. A questionnaire was used to collect the data from the period of 5 th May 2015 to 4 th August 2015. Data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistical (percentage, frequency, and chi –square). Results: the study shows that the majority of mothers age between (24-32) years was 46%, shows that the majority of sample (66%) was postpartum depressed also there were high significant relationship between some of demographic characteristics of mothers. Conclusion: The study concludes that there majority of sample was Postpartum depressed and significant relationship with their some demographic characters of mothers at P ≥ 0.5. Recommendation: The present study recommends that health education programs should be carried out for postnatal mothers apply by nurses.