This study looks at depression among mothers after childbirth (also called postpartum depression) in Mekelle City, Tigray, Ethiopia. Postpartum depression is a common mental health condition that can affect women after they give birth. It may cause sadness, loss of interest, fatigue, and difficulty caring for the baby. If not recognized and treated, it can affect both the mother and her child's health and well-being.

The purpose of this study is to find out how common postpartum depression is among mothers visiting public health facilities for postnatal care and child immunization services and to identify factors that may increase the risk. Understanding these factors can help health professionals and policymakers improve support services for mothers.

Mothers who come to selected health facilities for routine postnatal or immunization services will be invited to participate. Participation is voluntary. Those who agree will be asked to complete a questionnaire that includes questions about their mood, social support, economic conditions, and health status. The questionnaire does not include any personal identifiers, so participants' privacy will be protected.

There are no direct medical risks involved in participating in this study. However, some questions may make participants feel emotional when reflecting on their experiences. Participants are free to skip any question or stop at any time. If a mother is found to have symptoms of depression, she will be advised to seek care and may be referred to appropriate health services.

This study may not provide direct benefits to participants, but the findings will help improve understanding of maternal mental health in a post-conflict setting. The results can support the development of better screening, early detection, and support programs for postpartum depression in the community.

Overall, this research aims to contribute to improving the health and well-being of mothers and their children by providing evidence that can guide future healthcare services and policies.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Postnatal women attending postnatal care or vaccination (EPI) services within six weeks of delivery at the selected public health institutions during the study period

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women who had a serious illness that prevented participation.
• Mothers who were unable to attend the selected facilities
• Mothers who could not communicate effectively,
• Mothers who had a documented history of severe mental disorders prior to pregnancy (e.g., bipolar disorder or schizophrenia),
• Mothers who were actively using substances during the data collection period
• Mothers who had refused to provide informed consent.

Women (self-identified female participants who have given birth)

The study population consists of postpartum mothers who are attending postnatal care and immunization clinics in selected public health institutions in Mekelle City, Tigray, Ethiopia. These mothers include those who have recently given birth and are visiting health facilities for routine maternal and child health services during the study period. The population represents women in the postpartum period who are available at the selected facilities and meet the eligibility criteria for the study.

This is because the dataset contains sensitive health information related to maternal mental health, including postpartum depression status and related psychosocial variables. Although all identifiers will be removed, the nature of the data may still pose a risk of re-identification in a small or defined population. In addition, the current ethical approval and participant consent do not include provisions for public data sharing. Therefore, only aggregated results will be reported in publications, and access to the raw dataset will be restricted to the principal investigator and authorized research team members for the purpose of analysis.