-1/5 or about 20%

-Lower income is more susceptible to depression

-7% experience a major depressive episode

Perinatal Mood Disorders

(Depressive Disorders)

(from least to most severe)

-Postpartum Blues

-Postpartum Depression

-Postpartum Psychosis

-50-80% of new mothers

-Few hours to several days

-Under detected and under treated

-Compare to a bee sting

Symptoms:

-Insomnia, Anxiety, Crying, Irritability, Low mood

Postpartum Depression

(Major Depression)

-Can be mild or severe

-Within 4 weeks

-Need 5+ symptoms including depressed mood and loss of interest (gateway symptoms) to be diagnosed

-Under detected and under treated

Risk factors:

-Bad social support, Previous depression

-Rare 1/1000

-Lose touch with reality

-Lucid to psychotic within hours, usually begins within 90 days

-Likely to harm self and children

-History of Bipolar/Psychosis (1/2)

-Symptoms that happen in the future, after the initial illness.

-Ex: Future Postpartum Psychosis

-Increased risk for maternal complications after childbirth

-Poor maternal health practices: don't go to prenatal visits

-Higher levels of fetal stress hormones

-Perceive infants as bothersome

-Make harsher judgements of their infants

-Are more irritable with their infants

-Are 2.5x more likely to neglect/abuse their children

-Infants can clearly communicate with their mothers without language

-Depressed mothers have less sensitive interactions with their infants

-Depressed mothers spend less time looking at and touching their infants

-Infants have lower activity levels, show less positive faces, and are more withdrawn

-Secure attachments help form healthy relationships

-Sensitive interactions lead to secure attachments

-Infants of depressed mothers are less likely to have a secure attachment due to lack of sensitive interactions

-Low birth weight babies (esp. poor women)

-Preterm delivery

-Reduced neuromotor activity

-Not talking to infants leads to a lack of performance on intelligence tests

-More pronounced in boys

-At 11 years of age, children show signs of lower intelligence due to exposure to PPD

-More likely rated as more active and highly distractible by teachers

-Age 11 display significantly more violent behavior

-Increased use of weapons in fights

-Don't know how to relate to other people

-Had insecure attachments to mothers

-Can't diagnose depression by looking at someone

-Screening leads to increased detection

-10 item postpartum depression screening tool

-Simple to complete

-Acceptable to mothers and health workers

Ex: 'I have felt sad or miserable"

"I have been so unhappy that I have been crying/had difficulty sleeping"