The Impacts of Intimate Partner Violence on Postpartum Depression: An Updated Meta-Analysis

The associations between intimate partner violence (IPV) and postpartum depression (PPD) have been well established in previous reviews. However, none has explored potential differences between IPV subtypes or exposure times, which could help healthcare providers recognize the adverse impacts of various IPV subtypes and conduct comprehensive IPV screening. This study aimed to estimate the impacts of overall IPV and its subtypes (physical, psychological, and sexual) on PPD using an updated meta-analysis and to examine the potential role of IPV exposure time and regional income levels. Four English databases (Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science) and two Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI] and Wanfang Database) were systematically searched. We included 76 studies with 388,966 samples. Random-effects models were used to pool the odds ratios (ORs) across studies. Overall, IPV and its subtypes had statistically significant impacts on PPD (overall: OR = 2.50, physical: OR = 2.31, psychological: OR = 2.22, sexual: OR = 1.75). A higher impact of IPV on PPD was observed in middle- and low-income regions ( OR = 3.01) than in high-income regions ( OR = 1.92). IPV during pregnancy ( OR = 2.73) had a greater impact on PPD than lifetime IPV ( OR = 2.24). This study provides updated evidence for the significant impact of IPV and its subtypes and exposure time on PPD. Women at risk of exposure to physical IPV, especially during pregnancy, are in urgent need of support to reduce the risk of PPD.