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Women’s Health: Impacts of Postpartum Depression on Women in Jamaica

Ophelia D. James, Joshua J. Lunan and Tayanna S. McLaughlin

School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Technology, Jamaica

COM 1020_AS1: Academic Writing 1

Ms. Grace Hamilton

November 26, 2022

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Many new moms experience postpartum "baby blues" after childbirth. Post-

partum depression (PDD) is a serious problem that may have a profound impact on

women in Jamaica. Postpartum depression may be defined as a form of depression that

may affect women after childbirth. According to Necho (2019), PDD includes

insomnia, sadness, appetite loss, guilt, crying spells, fatigue, and anxiety. It could be

argued that the postpartum period usually lasts for two weeks but may have far-

reaching effects if not diagnosed and treated early. Did you know that 10-15% of

women experience postpartum depression worldwide. The consequences of postpartum

depression may be severe, and include mental, physical, and psychological distress and

effects.

The mental health of Jamaican women may be significantly impacted by

postpartum depression. Good mental health is a requirement for the growth of positive

child behavior and parent-child interactions (Bernard et al, 2018). According to

Bernard et al (2018), between one-third and one-fifth of women in developing nations

will have mental health issues related to motherhood. Self-harm is a common

resolution for many women who experience despair brought on by PDD (Bernard et al,

2018). Problems with mother-infant bonding may emerge into an abusive relationship

with the child or with drugs, especially when the mother is contemplating suicide and

the mother-infant interaction deteriorates. Drug use raises the likelihood of extended

PDD by 1.8 times (Necho et al, 2020).

Apart from mental health , the physical health of Jamaican women may be

significantly affected by postpartum depression. It is assume that this may cause

changes in their eating, sleep habits and mood and difficulty concentrating. Using the

Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, questions were posed in a study by Nayak et al.
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(2021). (EPDS). The scale's components, which included clinical depression symptoms

including insomnia, fatigue, guilt, anhedonia, and suicidal thoughts, could be related to

by many women (Nayak et al, 2021). Additionally, several health issues, such as high

blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, have been linked to postpartum

depression in Jamaican women.

Additionally , psychological distress of Jamaican women may be significantly

impacted by postpartum depression. Parental stress, often known as psychological

distress, is the term used to describe the stress parents experience because of the duties

of raising children. Many parents endure parental stress, but others experience it to a

greater extent, causing them to feel intense repulsion and bad emotions toward their

children and themselves. Maybe anxiety, stress, and/or sadness in the mother could

related to this. Mothers who reported feeling alone after giving birth were interviewed

for Maude Johansson study published in 2020. The mothers in the case study thought

their well-being was deteriorating perhaps because they were burdened with the duties

of caring for their child alone especially since their partner was frequently gone after

the birth (Johansson et al).

Moreover, Postpartum depressive disorder presents several difficulties for

Jamaican women. They could struggle with mental health problems including drug

misuse perhaps even suicidal thoughts. They could also have physical health problems

including fatigue, irritability, and anxiety. Finally, they could have psychological

problems including loneliness and isolation. It is crucial that Jamaican women seek

support from a mental health expert if they are experiencing postpartum depression.

Father involvement in the mother and child's lives would also be beneficial during the

postpartum time since this might aid to increase mothers' psychological wellness
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(Bernard et al, 2018). Mothers should at least try to express their feelings so that they

might receive assistance before it is too late and avoid having to suffer in silence

(Byrom et al, 2022)

In conclusion it appears most parts of depression affects thousands of women,

causing mental ,physical and psychological distress. But they need not suffer in silence

as there are a many venues available for help.

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References

Necho, M., Belete, A., & Zenebe, Y. (2020, October 6).The association of intimate.

partner violence with postpartum depression in women during their fist month

period of giving delivery in health centers at Dessie Town, 2019. Annals of

General Psychiatry, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-020-00310-6

Nayak, Jaggernauth,Jagmohansignh,Jaggernauth,Hosein, Issarie & Jaikaran. (2021,

May 29). An Assesment of the Risk Factors and Concerns of Postpartu,

Depression among Mothers Seeking Health Care in North Central Trinidad.

Indian Journal of Community Medicine: Official Publication of Indian

Association of Preventitive & Social Medicine.

https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4103%2Fijcm.IJCM_628_20

Johansson, M., Benderix, Y., & Svensson, I. (2020, January 1). Mothers’ and fathers’

lived experiences of postpartum depression and parental stress after childbirth:

a qualitative study. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and

Well-Being, 15(1), 1722564. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2020.1722564

Bernard, Gibson, McCaw-Binns, Reece, Coore-Desai, Shakespeare-Pellington, &

Samms-Vaughan. (2018, March 19). Antenatal depressive symptoms in

Jamaica associated with limited perceived partner and other social support - A

Cross-Sectional Study. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0194338

Byrom, Cooper, Edington, Elliman, Guttteridge, Henry, Shakespeare, & Scholefeild.

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(2022, March 30). The Pregnancy Book | HSC Public Health Agency. The

Pregnancy Book | HSC Public Health Agency. Retrieved October 9, 2022,

from https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/publications/pregnancy-book-0