Background

Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in almost all countries and cultures. Stressing factors are also involved in the development of depression. Postpartum depression may lead to problems for the mother, infant and other family members. The value of children has a direct effect on fertility behaviors.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between a child’s value and postpartum depression.

Material and methods

In this cross-sectional study, 260 primiparous women were selected randomly in 2015–2016 in Bam, Iran, after eight weeks of childbirth. The Demographic Questionnaire, Nauck and Troomsdorff Questionnaire of Value of Children and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Questionnaire were the completed. The collected data was analyzed by SPSS software version 18 and by using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Pearson, Spearman correlation coefficient, Chi-square and regression analysis. The p-value was considered as less than 0.05.

Results

There was no significant relationship between postpartum depression and the emotional dimension (p = 0.513) of a child’s value, but there was a significant relationship between the social (p = 0.012) and economic (p = 0.001) dimensions of a child’s value. There was a significant relationship between postpartum depression and the mother’s education (p = 0.046), economic situation (p = 0.012), type of pregnancy (p < 0.001) and delivery method (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

As to the finding, postpartum depression was influenced by the social and economic dimensions of a child’s value and demographic factors. By paying attention to these factors, we can implement proper interventions in order to promote personal and social health among women.