Prevalence of Postnatal Depression among Postnatal Mothers

The puerperium is hailed as the "Fourth Trimester" (Johnstone, 1994) and by definition it is the period from birth to 6-8 weeks of post partum. When the women are readjusting physiologically and psychologically to Motherhood, Midwives are responsible for providing the majority of care for women at this time (CMB, 1983).

Following the birth of the baby and expulsion of the placenta, the mother enters a period of physical and psychological recuperation. This period is called as "Postnatal period" or "Puerperium" (Ball 1994, Hytten, 1995).