Association of Postpartum Temperature Exposure with Postpartum Depression: A Retrospective Cohort Study in Southern California
Yi Sun, Kathryne S. Headon, Wajeeha Umer, Anqi Jiao, Jeff Slezak, Chantal Avila, Vicki Y. Chiu, David A. Sacks, Kelly T. Sanders, John Molitor, Tarik Benmarhnia, Jiu‐Chiuan Chen, Darios Getahun, Jun Wu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Postpartum depression (PPD) has been associated with biological, emotional, social, and environmental factors. However, evidence regarding the effect of temperature on PPD is extremely limited. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the associations between postpartum temperature exposure and PPD. METHODS: resolution gridMET dataset (https://www.climatologylab.org/gridmet.html) and linked to participants' residential addresses at delivery. Postpartum temperature exposures were measured by calculating various temperature metrics during the period from delivery to PPD diagnosis date. A time-to-event approach with a discrete-time logistic regression was applied to estimate the association between temperature exposure and time to PPD. Effect modification by maternal characteristics and other environmental factors was examined. RESULTS: years of age compared with their counterparts. We also observed higher effects of temperature on PPD among mothers exposed to higher air pollution or lower green space levels and among mothers with lower air conditioning penetration rates. CONCLUSION: Maternal exposure to higher temperature and diurnal temperature variability during the postpartum period was associated with an increased risk of PPD. Effect modification by maternal age, race/ethnicity, air pollution, green space, and air conditioning penetration was identified. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP14783.