| Background Postpartum depression can affect the physical and mental health of mothers and the quality of parenting. Most Chinese women perform traditional postpartum practices (commonly known as "doing the month") after giving birth. Traditional postpartum practices in China may alleviate or aggravate depression, but the research results are still inconsistent. Objective To explore the relationship between traditional postpartum practices in China and postpartum depression, and to provide a basis for improving postpartum practices and reducing the risk of depression. Methods A total of 240 parturients who gave birth in the obstetrics department of The Mianyang Central Hospital and The Third Hospital of Mianyang from January to May 2024 were continuously selected. The basic information of parturients was collected by using self-compiled questionnaires. The Chinese version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15), the Adherence to Doing-the-Month Practices questionnaire (ADP), and the self-compiled questionnaire on the Recognition of Doing-the-Month were used to evaluate postpartum depressive mood, the degree of social support, the severity of somatic symptoms, and the recognition and compliance of Doing-the-Month. The absolute value (A value) of the score difference between ADP and the self-compiled questionnaire on the Recognition of Doing-the-Month was used to evaluate the degree of cognitive behavioral conflict of parturients. Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the correlations between the EPDS score, SSRS score, PHQ-15 score, the total score and scores of each dimension of the ADP, the total score and scores of each dimension of the Recognition of Doing-the-Month and the A value. Logistic regression was conducted based on the presence or absence of depressive mood. The scores of each dimension of ADP and the A value were taken as independent variables to analyze the protective and risk factors of postpartum depression. Results Correlation analysis shows: The EPDS score of parturients was negatively correlated with the total ADP score and the scores of social restrictions, dietary taboos, labor avoidance, and hygiene dimensions (r=-0.228, -0.146, -0.184, -0.275, -0.168, P<0.05 or 0.01), and positively correlated with the A value (r=0.161, P<0.05). Regression analysis showed that ADP- avoiding labor dimension was a protective factor for postpartum depression (OR=0.930, P<0.01). Conclusion The dimension of avoiding labor in traditional postpartum practices in China may be a protective factor for postpartum depression. |