The risk of postpartum depressive symptoms in immigrant women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus

AIMS: To evaluate the impact of immigration status and sociodemographic risk factors on postpartum depressive (PPD) symptoms among women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: We analysed data from 327 women with recent GDM who participated in a postpartum diabetes prevention trial in Toronto, Canada. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated the association between self-reported immigration status (Canadian-born vs. immigrant), overall and by time since immigration (<10 years vs. ≥10 years) and PPD symptoms based on a score of ≥10 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. RESULTS: At a median 4 months postpartum, PPD symptoms were reported by 25.6% of immigrant women compared to 18.2% of Canadian-born women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.01, 95% CI 0.50, 2.03). Time since immigration had no significant effect. Women with low household income (<C$60,000) were significantly more likely to report PPD symptoms compared to those with income >C$100,000 (AOR 3.71, 95% CI 1.61, 8.56). Among low-income women, PPD symptom prevalence was 48%, with 52.8% in immigrant women and 35.7% in Canadian-born women. CONCLUSIONS: PPD symptoms are common in women with recent GDM, particularly those with low income. While the prevalence of PPD symptoms was not significantly higher in immigrant women, further studies are needed to explore subgroup-specific risks. CLINICAL TRIAL: Avoiding Diabetes After Pregnancy Trial in Moms (ADAPT-M), NCT01918345.