Prevalence, Incidence, and Persistence of Postpartum Anxiety, Depression, and Comorbidity: A Cohort Study Among Women in Havana Cuba.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence, incidence, and persistence of postpartum anxiety, depression, and comorbid symptoms over the first 6 months postpartum in a cohort of Havana women and to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive power of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) at 4 weeks postpartum on depressive and anxiety symptoms at 12 and 24 weeks.

Methods: A cohort study with 273 women in Havana, Cuba. Participants were assessed at 4, 12, and 24 weeks postpartum for anxiety, depression, and comorbid symptoms.

Results: Prevalence rates were highest at 4 weeks postpartum: 20.0% women reported elevated levels of anxiety and 16.4% reported depressive symptoms. The prevalence of comorbid anxiety and depression was 5.8%. While rates of anxiety steadily decreased to 13.8% at 24 weeks, rates of depression persisted to 24 weeks postpartum with 14.5% still experiencing elevated symptoms. Comorbid anxiety and depression decreased across time. There were limited sensitivity and poor predictive values for both the STAI and the EPDS.

Conclusions: This study is the first to examine perinatal mental illness in Cuba. While anxiety and depression rates found among Cuban women are lower than those reported in other low-income countries, the rates paralleled high-income countries.