Breastfeeding is associated with reduction in postpartum depression in the United Arab Emirates: a retrospective cross-sectional study

<p dir="ltr">Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a common mental health disorder affecting mothers. Breastfeeding may be protective against PPD. Global estimates of breastfeeding and PPD rates vary, especially for women living in Middle Eastern countries. The current study aims to assess...

وصف كامل

محفوظ في:
التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
المؤلف الرئيسي: Ala Al Rajabi (22457746) (author)
مؤلفون آخرون: Hind Alkatheeri (20943602) (author), Rafiq Hijazi (20943605) (author), Lynne Kennedy (22457749) (author)
منشور في: 2025
الموضوعات:
الوسوم: إضافة وسم
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author Ala Al Rajabi (22457746)
author2 Hind Alkatheeri (20943602)
Rafiq Hijazi (20943605)
Lynne Kennedy (22457749)
author2_role author
author
author
author_facet Ala Al Rajabi (22457746)
Hind Alkatheeri (20943602)
Rafiq Hijazi (20943605)
Lynne Kennedy (22457749)
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Ala Al Rajabi (22457746)
Hind Alkatheeri (20943602)
Rafiq Hijazi (20943605)
Lynne Kennedy (22457749)
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025-03-27T09:00:00Z
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 10.1038/s41598-025-94912-3
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Breastfeeding_is_associated_with_reduction_in_postpartum_depression_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates_a_retrospective_cross-sectional_study/30393274
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv CC BY 4.0
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Biomedical and clinical sciences
Clinical sciences
Reproductive medicine
Health sciences
Public health
Psychology
Clinical and health psychology
Breastfeeding
Postpartum depression
EPDS
Physical activity
United Arab Emirates
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Breastfeeding is associated with reduction in postpartum depression in the United Arab Emirates: a retrospective cross-sectional study
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Text
Journal contribution
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
text
contribution to journal
description <p dir="ltr">Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a common mental health disorder affecting mothers. Breastfeeding may be protective against PPD. Global estimates of breastfeeding and PPD rates vary, especially for women living in Middle Eastern countries. The current study aims to assess breastfeeding and PPD prevalence and to identify factors associated with reduced PPD risk within the social and cultural contexts of the UAE. We used a purposive, convenience snowball sampling technique to recruit participants. Inclusion criteria were female ≥ 18 years, mother of a child ≤ three years, and resident of Abu Dhabi, UAE. Data was collected using an online survey distributed via email and social media platforms. The survey comprised four sections: sociodemographic characteristics, breastfeeding behaviour, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and The International Physical Activity Questionnaire –Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Pearson chi-squared tests and binary logistic regression model were used to investigate the associations between PPD levels and potential predictors using SPSS statistical software. Variables included in the regression model were breastfeeding duration, delivery mode, BMI, education, general health, physical activity level, employment status, number of children, and age. All statistical significance was considered at p-value < 0.05. In total 403 subjects consented to participate; 204 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis (age [mean ± SD] = 31.2 ± 7.3 years). Among them, 34.8% suffered from moderate-to-severe PPD, and 66.2% breastfed their last child for > 3 months. Regression model results showed that (OR; 95% CI) college education (0.39; 0.19–0.80), having more than one child (0.40; 0.17–0.94), self-reported very good (0.43; 0.19–0.98) and excellent health (0.21; 0.08–0.51), and breastfeeding for > three months (0.46; 0.23–0.92), were significantly associated with reduced odds of moderate-to-severe PPD. None of the remaining variables -including physical activity- were significant. In conclusion, breastfeeding is significantly associated with a reduction in moderate-to-severe PPD among mothers in Abu Dhabi, UAE.</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Scientific Reports<br>License: <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94912-3" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94912-3</a></p>
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identifier_str_mv 10.1038/s41598-025-94912-3
network_acronym_str Manara2
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oai_identifier_str oai:figshare.com:article/30393274
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spelling Breastfeeding is associated with reduction in postpartum depression in the United Arab Emirates: a retrospective cross-sectional studyAla Al Rajabi (22457746)Hind Alkatheeri (20943602)Rafiq Hijazi (20943605)Lynne Kennedy (22457749)Biomedical and clinical sciencesClinical sciencesReproductive medicineHealth sciencesPublic healthPsychologyClinical and health psychologyBreastfeedingPostpartum depressionEPDSPhysical activityUnited Arab Emirates<p dir="ltr">Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a common mental health disorder affecting mothers. Breastfeeding may be protective against PPD. Global estimates of breastfeeding and PPD rates vary, especially for women living in Middle Eastern countries. The current study aims to assess breastfeeding and PPD prevalence and to identify factors associated with reduced PPD risk within the social and cultural contexts of the UAE. We used a purposive, convenience snowball sampling technique to recruit participants. Inclusion criteria were female ≥ 18 years, mother of a child ≤ three years, and resident of Abu Dhabi, UAE. Data was collected using an online survey distributed via email and social media platforms. The survey comprised four sections: sociodemographic characteristics, breastfeeding behaviour, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and The International Physical Activity Questionnaire –Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Pearson chi-squared tests and binary logistic regression model were used to investigate the associations between PPD levels and potential predictors using SPSS statistical software. Variables included in the regression model were breastfeeding duration, delivery mode, BMI, education, general health, physical activity level, employment status, number of children, and age. All statistical significance was considered at p-value < 0.05. In total 403 subjects consented to participate; 204 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis (age [mean ± SD] = 31.2 ± 7.3 years). Among them, 34.8% suffered from moderate-to-severe PPD, and 66.2% breastfed their last child for > 3 months. Regression model results showed that (OR; 95% CI) college education (0.39; 0.19–0.80), having more than one child (0.40; 0.17–0.94), self-reported very good (0.43; 0.19–0.98) and excellent health (0.21; 0.08–0.51), and breastfeeding for > three months (0.46; 0.23–0.92), were significantly associated with reduced odds of moderate-to-severe PPD. None of the remaining variables -including physical activity- were significant. In conclusion, breastfeeding is significantly associated with a reduction in moderate-to-severe PPD among mothers in Abu Dhabi, UAE.</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Scientific Reports<br>License: <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94912-3" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94912-3</a></p>2025-03-27T09:00:00ZTextJournal contributioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiontextcontribution to journal10.1038/s41598-025-94912-3https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Breastfeeding_is_associated_with_reduction_in_postpartum_depression_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates_a_retrospective_cross-sectional_study/30393274CC BY 4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:figshare.com:article/303932742025-03-27T09:00:00Z
spellingShingle Breastfeeding is associated with reduction in postpartum depression in the United Arab Emirates: a retrospective cross-sectional study
Ala Al Rajabi (22457746)
Biomedical and clinical sciences
Clinical sciences
Reproductive medicine
Health sciences
Public health
Psychology
Clinical and health psychology
Breastfeeding
Postpartum depression
EPDS
Physical activity
United Arab Emirates
status_str publishedVersion
title Breastfeeding is associated with reduction in postpartum depression in the United Arab Emirates: a retrospective cross-sectional study
title_full Breastfeeding is associated with reduction in postpartum depression in the United Arab Emirates: a retrospective cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Breastfeeding is associated with reduction in postpartum depression in the United Arab Emirates: a retrospective cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Breastfeeding is associated with reduction in postpartum depression in the United Arab Emirates: a retrospective cross-sectional study
title_short Breastfeeding is associated with reduction in postpartum depression in the United Arab Emirates: a retrospective cross-sectional study
title_sort Breastfeeding is associated with reduction in postpartum depression in the United Arab Emirates: a retrospective cross-sectional study
topic Biomedical and clinical sciences
Clinical sciences
Reproductive medicine
Health sciences
Public health
Psychology
Clinical and health psychology
Breastfeeding
Postpartum depression
EPDS
Physical activity
United Arab Emirates