Controlled prospective study of postpartum mood disorders: Comparison of childbearing and nonchildbearing women.

TLDR

The study aimed to assess whether pregnancy and the postpartum period increase the risk of minor/major depression, depressive symptoms, and poor social adjustment. Researchers recruited a large cohort of pregnant women in the second trimester and a matched non‑pregnant cohort, assessing both groups repeatedly during pregnancy and after delivery using questionnaires and interviews on depression, mood, marital and social adjustment. Rates of minor and major depression did not differ between childbearing and non‑childbearing women, but childbearing women reported higher depressive symptoms and poorer social adjustment during late pregnancy and early postpartum.

Abstract

A controlled prospective study was undertaken to determine the extent to which pregnancy and the puerperium are associated with increased risk for minor and major depression, depressive symptom-atology, and poor social adjustment. A large sample of childbearing (CB) women were recruited during the second trimester of pregnancy along with an equal sized, matched sample of nonchild-bearing (NCB) women. Ss were assessed multiple times during pregnancy and after delivery by questionnaire and through personal interview on measures of depression and other mood states and marital and social adjustment. There were no differences between CB and NCB Ss with respect to rates of minor and major depression during pregnancy or after delivery. However, CB women experienced significantly higher levels of depressive symptomatology and poor social adjustment than NCB women during late pregnancy and the early puerperium.