Postnatal depression: a review of current literature

The print and other forms of media offer significant amounts of information to women about pregnancy, parenthood and the birth process, but much less information exists about postnatal depression and how to cope with the frequently painful realities involved in childbirth and parenting--especially when debilitated by postnatal depression (PND). Even less information exists about such women's reactions to interventions by health professionals, which is the subject of my Ph.D study in progress. This article reviews current literature about the clinical presentation of postnatal depression, the three major types of mood disorders following childbirth, the risk factors for postnatal depression, detection and treatment of postnatal depression and the need for further research on treatment outcomes for women with PND.