Postpartum Depression Experience Among Jordanian Mother With Hospitalized Infant in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Incidence and Associated Factors

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a global mental health problem that affects about 13% to 19% of mothers who have recent given birth. This problem increases if the infant is admitted to the intensive care unit (NICU). The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence and risk factors of postpartum depression among mothers with hospitalized infant on NICU and to explore mothers experience after admitting their infants to the NICU. A varied methods research design were undertaken in two hospitals in Jordan. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to survey 188 Jordanian mothers with infants in the NICU, it deals with semi-structured in-depth interviews to identify the themes that characterize mothers PPD experience in the NICU. The quantitative results of this study showed that the mothers with hospitalized infant in NICU experienced high level of PPD with the mean score was 20.81 (SD = 4.92). With regard to qualitative results, two major themes with nine subthemes : the first one is Postpartum Depression Experience and the second theme was sources that influence postpartum depression.

In conclusion, the mothers with hospitalized infant in NICU experience PPD. the PPD mothers experience many manifestations during this situation such as : shock, surprise, crying, Anhedonia,hopelessness and thinking about harming themselves or their babies after admission of their infants to the NICU, Also there are many sources that influence postpartum depression such as baby gender, lack of knowledge, social support, mother role, mother infant attachment, stigma and shame.