Perinatal mental disorders in native Danes and immigrant women

Arch Womens Ment Health. 2010 Aug;13(4):319-26. doi: 10.1007/s00737-009-0131-0. Epub 2010 Jan 15.

Abstract

We aimed to explore if first- and second-generation immigrants have similar risks of mental disorder in pregnancy and postpartum as native Danes have. A population-based cohort study merging data from two Danish population registers was conducted, and survival analyses were performed. A total of 736,988 women were classified as native Danes, first- or second-generation immigrants. The main outcome measure was incident psychiatric in- or outpatient contacts during pregnancy or 0-12 months postpartum. First- and second-generation immigrant mothers had a higher overall risk of psychiatric contacts during both pregnancy and postpartum compared to native Danish mothers. Additionally, in native Danes as well as first- and second-generation immigrant new mothers, the highest risk of psychiatric in- or outpatient contact with a mental disorder was 0-29 days postpartum (RR, 3.09 (95% CI, 2.75-3.48); 2.91 (95% CI, 2.20-3.86); 4.55 (95% CI, 3.33-6.24), respectively), after which the risk decreased with time since childbirth. The increased risk of mental disorders shortly after childbirth applied to native Danish mothers as well as first- and second-generation immigrant mothers. Moreover, overall immigrants conferred a higher risk of psychiatric contact throughout the entire perinatal period.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cohort Studies
  • Denmark / epidemiology
  • Emigrants and Immigrants / psychology*
  • Emigrants and Immigrants / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gestational Age
  • Humans
  • Mental Disorders / epidemiology
  • Mental Disorders / ethnology*
  • Mental Disorders / psychology
  • Mothers / psychology*
  • Perinatal Care
  • Population Surveillance / methods
  • Postpartum Period / psychology*
  • Pregnancy
  • Risk Factors
  • Young Adult