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Pregnant women with the complication of depression who visit the department of Oriental Medicine at a Japanese perinatal center
Author(s) -
Isomura Mariko,
Sagawa Kei,
Tobe Chiharu,
Suzuki Shunji
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
traditional and kampo medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2053-4515
DOI - 10.1002/tkm2.1269
Subject(s) - medicine , odds ratio , depression (economics) , confidence interval , obstetrics , pregnancy , pediatrics , mental health , population , psychiatry , macroeconomics , genetics , environmental health , biology , economics
Aim Women suffering from perinatal depression often have not noticed their mental condition, they often present with unspecified somatic complaints. Therefore, we examined the presence or absence of unspecified somatic complaints and the variability in complaints in women with perinatal depression who visited the Department of Oriental Medicine (DOM) at our Japanese perinatal center. Methods The material reviewed consisted of the total population of Japanese women who visited our institute for a perinatal visit and underwent delivery at ≥37 weeks gestation at our institute between 2015 and 2018. We examined the DOM consultation rate, number and duration of visits to the DOM, presence or absence of unspecified somatic complaints (general malaise), and presence or absence of frequently changing complaints in the women with and without perinatal depression. Results The DOM consultation rate in women with perinatal depression was significantly higher than in those without perinatal depression (odds ratio 5.02, 75% confidence interval 3.2–7.6, P < 0.01). The rate of unspecified somatic complaints and frequently changing complaints in women with perinatal depression were significantly higher than those without perinatal depression (unspecified somatic complaints: 44% vs. 10%, odds ratio 5.79, 75% confidence interval 2.6–13, P < 0.01; frequently changing complaints: 33% vs. 4%, odds ratio 12.7, 75% confidence interval 5.0–33, P < 0.01). Conclusion To improve the recognition and management practices of perinatal depression, a standardized training will be needed on how to communicate in order to understand the mental problems in pregnant women concerning atypical symptoms of depression and unspecified somatic complaints.