Expectant mothers who took a two-hour perinatal course called "Help, Understanding, Guidance (HUG) Your Baby" had a significantly reduced risk of postpartum depression and an increase in parental confidence once their baby arrived.
Children of mothers who experience more negative moods as a result of postpartum depression during the first two months of their child's life have less mature processing of speech sounds at the age of six months.
Researchers are calling for postnatal depression risk screening for women with persistent depression while they are still pregnant.
Pregnant women with a history of migraines are at greater risk of both prenatal and postnatal complications. A new study found migraine sufferers are at increased risk of hyperlipidemia and gestational diabetes during pregnancy, and postnatal depression following the birth of their child.
Prenatal depression can have a significant influence on a child's brain development and behavior. Greater symptoms of prenatal depression were associated with weaker white matter connections between areas of the brain involved in emotional processing. The weakened white matter connectivity was linked to increased aggression and hyperactivity in male children. The change could lead to dysregulated emotional states in children and explain why children whose mothers experienced PND are more prone to developing depression later in life.
Women who are given a general anesthetic during a cesarean section delivery have a 54% higher risk of developing postpartum depression. The odds of suicidal thoughts or self-inflicting injury increased to 91%. The study points to a potential protective effect on mental health for regional anesthesia during cesarean section compared to general anesthetic.
People are more likely to diagnose symptoms of postnatal depression in women over men, new findings report. When presented with information relating to the mental health of new parents, people associated postnatal depression symptoms in men with stress and tiredness. Researchers state the need for greater awareness of paternal postnatal depression.
A newly developed drug can help combat the effects of postnatal depression.
A new study reports women who give birth to boys are at a 79% increased risk of developing postnatal depression than those who birth girls. Researchers also note that women who experience birth complications are 174% more likely to develop PND.
A new study reports women who are in their third trimester of pregnancy during months with less day light are at an increased risk of developing postnatal depression.
A new study reveals 16% of new mothers who suffered gestational diabetes while pregnant developed postnatal depression symptoms following birth. Only 9% of women who didn't suffer GDM went on to develop PND. Researchers say gestational diabetes could be used as a biomarker for assessing PND risk following birth.
According to researchers, postnatal depression that last longer than 6 months can have severe implications for children as they grow. The study reveals children of mothers who experienced persistent PND were more likely to have behavioral problems, achieve lower grades in exams and have an increased risk of developing depression by age 18.
