Household environmental exposures and postpartum depression: A nationwide prospective birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious and common psychiatric disorder that affects nearly 20% childbearing women. In recent years, growing attention has been directed towards the potential health implications of exposure to household environmental pollutants. This study aimed to explore the association between housing conditions and PPD among Taiwanese women.

METHODS

This study used data from the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study (TBCS), a nationwide, population-based cohort. A total of 17,981 mothers enrolled in the TBCS were included in the analysis. At six months postpartum, structured questionnaires were administered to collect information on maternal sociodemographic characteristics, household environmental exposures, and lifestyle factors. Postpartum depression was assessed at six months postpartum using a self-reported questionnaire.

RESULTS

The prevalence of postpartum depression among women six months postpartum was 16.7%. Environmental tobacco smoke (OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.28), household renovation or wall/furniture painting (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.20, 1.48), mold spots at home (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.20, 1.42), and household insecticide use (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.22) exhibited significant positive association with PPD. In addition, the higher the number of environmental exposure factors, the higher the risk of PPD, with a dose-response effect observed (trend p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The results indicated that environmental factors such as environmental tobacco smoke, household renovation or wall/furniture painting, mold spots at home, and household insecticide use, displayed significant positive correlations with PPD. These findings highlighted the significant impact of environmental exposure on women's mental health.