Abstract
Background: Postpartum blues is a transitional depressive state that viewed as a highly prevalent mental health problem.Setting of the study: the study was conducted in Obstetrics and Gynecology department at Mansoura University Hospitals. Aim of this study: is to assess the effectiveness of an instructional Brochure on relieving postpartum blues. Research Hypothesis: The intervention group who will receive informational instructions brochure about postnatal blues within the first day of giving birth will experience lesser blues at end of 1st week postpartum than the control group. Study Design: Intervention study design carried out between of January 2013 to July 2013. Methods: Intervention study design was conducted in Obstetrics and Gynecology department at Mansoura University Hospitals on 184 postnatal women. Women divided into two groups: control group; received routine discharge instructions and intervention group received information on postpartum blues, on top of routine discharge instructions. Socio-demographic data questionnaire and Arabic version of Beck Depression Inventory Questionnaire (BDI) are used for data collections. Participants filled in both tools on first day of birth and BDI alone at end of 1st and 2nd week postpartum. Results: The study findings revealed that frequency of blues at end of 1st week postpartum is lower in the intervention group than the control group (20.7% versus 69.5%). Conclusion: Instruction information about postnatal blues within the first day of giving birth is an effective method on relieving postpartum blues. Recommendations: The educational brochure was recommended to be distributed and implemented in all maternity health services and MCH center in Mansoura Governorate.