The relationship between multidimensional perceived social support and postpartum depression in pregnancies followed at education family health centers of Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to research the effect of perceived social support on anxiety, depression and stress levels in postpartum mothers. Method: The study was done on pregnants whose following ups were performed at five Erzurum Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine Education Type Family Health Centers (AUFMETHC), affiliated to the Department of Family Medicine, between September 2015 and September 2016. The pregnancies were detected after the last 9 months period of study that was not taken into the study, in case of affecting our work outcomes by the last four weeks postpartum periods. Beck Depression Scale for Primary Care was administered to 119 patients who volunteered to participate in 122 genders who had these conditions. Six mothers whose scores were calculated above 4 -Turkish cut-off score- were considered depressed and excluded from the study. On the fact that three of the mothers are in mourning, the remaining 110 pregnants were made an appointment for the fourth week after giving birth with demographic questionnaire. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) was administered to postpartum women who were referred for control at the fourth postnatal week. According to the work done in Turkey, whose score 12 or more were considered to be depressed. The demographic data of 110 women were studied statistically. All women were interviewed face to face. Normal distribution of numerical variables were evaluated by Histogram graph. Student t test, Mann-Whitney U test, Recurrent ANOVA, One-way ANOVA, Chi square and logistic regression tests were used as hypothesis tests. Statistically, the significance limit was accepted as p <0.05. Findings: The mean age of the participating mothers was 28.81 ± 5,953 years. The lowest maternal age was 17 and the highest maternal age was 45. In our study, the participants' scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale ranged from 12.00 ± 4.722, the score of the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale Modifiye Form (MPSSS)' s is 58,39 ± 13,036. There was a statistically significant correlation (r = -0,420 and p <0,01) in the correlation analysis between the total score of EPDS and the total score of MPSSS. EPDS score increases while MPSSS scores decrease. According to the logistic regression analysis, the hypothesis that social support was a factor explaining Postpartum Depression (PPD) was significant (p <0.05). High social support recipients were 0.093 times more risky for postpartum depression than low social support recipients, furthermore moderate social support ones are 0.212 times more risky than low. According to this data, as the social support points increase, the postpartum depression rate of the mothers decreases. Results: The first year of pregnancy, especially after the first year, is a process in which the mother is more physically and mentally vulnerable to health problems. A problem that may be experienced in this period may affect the mother, the child, the family, and therefore society in a negative way. From this point, the social support that the mother will need must be provided by the spouse, family, close environment and health professionals. It has a particular duty to primary health care providers who are the nearest to mother access point. It can be anticipated that it will be easier to cope with postpartum depression and psychological problems before, during and after the birth, with the aid of the mother's perceived social support through the counseling of the mother, her husband and her family. Key Words: postpartum depression, perceived social support, family health center, family medicine.