Neuraxial Labor Analgesia and the Incidence of Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects approximately 15% of women during the first year after giving birth, and is common across cultures. The etiology of postpartum depression is not totally clear. The severe pain experienced during childbirth was reported to be associated with the development of postpartum depression. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate whether use of neuraxial labor analgesia can reduce the incidence of postpartum depression.