Effects of Postpartum Depression, Social Support, Maternal Identity on Maternal Postpartum Quality of Life among Women in Postpartum Period

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the effects of postpartum depression, social support, and maternal identity on quality of life among women in the postpartum period. Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 188 women in the postpartum period participated from breastfeeding clinics and internet community networks. A self-report questionnaire packet containing Edinburgh postnatal depression scale, social support, semantic differential scale-maternal identity, and maternal postpartum quality of life (MAPP-QOL) tools was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson''s correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression analysis using SAS 9.4 program. Results: Postpartum depression was negatively associated with MAPP-QOL. Husband support, significant others support, myself as a mother, and my baby was positively correlated with MAPP-QOL. It was found that postpartum depression, husband support, significant others support, myself as a mother were factors influencing MAPP-QOL. These factors explained 51% of the variance of MAPP-QOL. Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that it is important to develop and implement postpartum nursing interventions that can improve postpartum depression, as well as the social support of husband and significant others, and maternal identity to enhance MAPP-QOL.