Post-partum depression and the mother-infant relationship in a South African peri-urban settlement
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Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Using Chronic Social Stress to Model Postpartum Depression in Lactating Rodents
Published on: June 10, 2013
P J Cooper1, M Tomlinson, L Swartz
1Department of Psychology, University of Reading.
Background:
Post-partum depression in the developing world has received little research attention, and its association with disturbances in the mother-infant relationship is unknown.
Aims:
To determine the prevalence of post-partum depression and associated disturbances in the mother-infant relationship in Khayelitsha, a South African peri-urban settlement.
Method:
The mental state of 147 women who had delivered two months previously was assessed, and the quality of their engagement with their infants was determined.
Results:
The point prevalence of DSM-IV major depression was found to be 34.7%. Maternal depression was associated with poor emotional and practical support from the partner. It was also associated with insensitive engagement with the infants.
Conclusions:
The rate of post-partum depression in Khayelitsha was around three times that found in British post-partum samples, and these depressions were strongly associated with disturbances in the mother-infant relationship.
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