Perinatal depression: a study of prevalence and of risk and protective factors.

Abstract

The prevalence of PPD that we measured, in agreement with that found in the literature, demonstrates that despite the fact that the diagnostic criteria of the DSM-IV refer to PPD only if it develops within 4 weeks after delivery, PPD can also develop after this period. Furthermore, it appears that monitoring APD and encouraging a psycho-socially serene pregnancy are important for prevention of PPD. In the case of APD it was shown that monitoring women with even light depressive symptoms is important, because these women are more likely to then develop PPD.