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Using Chronic Social Stress to Model Postpartum Depression in Lactating Rodents
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Postnatal blues: a risk factor for postnatal depression.

C Henshaw1, D Foreman, J Cox

  • 1Academic Suite, Harplands Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.

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|February 18, 2005
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Severe postpartum blues significantly increase the risk of developing depression within six months after childbirth. This finding highlights the need for screening and intervention programs for new mothers experiencing the "baby blues".

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Area of Science:

  • Perinatal mental health
  • Psychiatry
  • Obstetrics

Background:

  • Postnatal blues are often considered benign, but emerging evidence suggests a link to postpartum depression.
  • Previous studies investigating this link have faced methodological challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To prospectively investigate the hypothesis that severe postpartum blues are an independent risk factor for subsequent postpartum depression.
  • To assess the risk and timing of depression in women experiencing severe blues compared to controls.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, controlled study involving 206 first-time mothers recruited during late pregnancy.
  • Blues status assessed using the Blues Questionnaire; severe blues cases and matched controls followed for 6 months.
  • Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID) with Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Lifetime Version (SADS-L) used for diagnosis.

Main Results:

  • Severe postpartum blues and a past history of depression were identified as independent predictors of postpartum depression, each increasing the risk approximately threefold.
  • Depression onset occurred earlier and lasted longer in women with severe blues, primarily driven by major depressive episodes.
  • The findings were robust, with severe blues identified as a significant risk factor.

Conclusions:

  • Severe postpartum blues are not merely a benign condition but represent a significant, independent risk factor for developing postpartum depression.
  • These findings support the development of targeted screening and early intervention programs for women experiencing severe blues.
  • Further research could explore the specific mechanisms linking severe blues to major depression.