Postpartum Depression – Who Gets it?

Postpartum depression is defined as depression that develops within the first four weeks after childbirth and occurs in about 10% of women. Postpartum depression statistics have shown the following risk factors:

• a history of a mood disorder
• unwanted pregnancy
• unemployment of the mother
• lack of breast-feeding
• the mother as head of the household (source: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry)

Regarding other postpartum depression statistics, women who have had depression in the past have a 24% chance of developing postpartum depression. Depression during pregnancy increases the chances of developing postpartum depression to 35%.

Depression that develops for the first time during pregnancy is more likely to become bipolar disorder later on. Likewise, postpartum psychosis is usually a manisfestation of preexisting bipolar disorder.

Postpartum psychosis occurs infrequently in about 0.1-0.2% of women.