Escala de Depressão Pós-parto de Edimburgo: percepção de puérperas acompanhadas na atenção primária à saúde

Abstract

Depressive symptoms that affect women after childbirth are recognized as postpartum depression (PPD) or puerperal depression. PPD is classified as a set of depressive and anxious symptoms noticeable after the baby is born. The study sought to understand the perception of postpartum women, followed up in Primary Health Care, when responding to the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). The study describes the perception of postpartum women followed up in Primary Health Care, regarding the application of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). This is a descriptive research with a quant-qualitative approach, carried out with 18 puerperal women assisted in primary health care, aged between 14 and 42 years, with data obtained by collection in the interview script format and previously prepared and validated questionnaires. The data obtained were submitted to Minayo's content analysis technique, in the Thematic Analysis modality. The postpartum women in the study have variable occupations, including students, housewives, self-employed and private employees. Most of the puerperal women are primiparous. The number of children per woman varied between those who had 1 to 4 children. The puerperal women show little discernment about postpartum depression. The results were positive since the puerperal women showed that after answering the scale they were able to identify symptoms of PPD. The puerperal women classified that they liked the application, that it was pleasant to answer the scale and that the scale helped in some way. The scale is self-administered, facilitating access for postpartum women. However, a tool that is still little publicized and used. It is also highlighted the need for health professionals to realize the importance of applying the Edinburgh Scale, whether during the childcare consultation, for the detection of symptoms of postpartum depression.