Does weight gain during pregnancy influence postpartum depression?

Krista M C Cline1, Jessica Decker

  • 1Butler University, 4600 Sunset Blvd., Jordan Hall Room 371A, Indianapolis, IN 46208, USA. kcline1@butler.edu

The goal of this study was to determine if weight gain during pregnancy has an effect on postpartum depression (PPD). Data were collected in a web survey from 238 women who had recently given birth. The data were analyzed for the total sample and also by body weight category before pregnancy. Findings revealed that weight gain was inversely associated with PPD for the obese women in our sample. For these women, the less weight they gained, the more likely they were to experience PPD. History of depression, partner support, and age were also predictors of PPD.

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