Impact of Postpartum Mental Illness Upon Infant Development

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Updated: Feb 19, 2026

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
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Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants

Published on: June 13, 2021

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Casey Hoffman1, Dena M Dunn2, Wanjiku F M Njoroge3

  • 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neonatal Follow-up Program, Newborn/Infant Intensive Care Unit, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.

Current Psychiatry Reports
|November 7, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Postpartum mental illness, including perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), affects both mothers and fathers. Early identification and treatment are crucial for infant development and the caregiver-infant relationship.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal mental health
  • Infant development
  • Parent-child attachment

Background:

  • Postpartum mental illness, including perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), significantly impacts infant development.
  • Research has expanded to recognize that fathers, not just mothers, can experience PMADs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current research on the effects of postpartum mental illness on infant development.
  • To define the scope of PMADs and their impact on infants.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on postpartum mental illness and infant outcomes.
  • Analysis of the impact of PMADs on parental cognitions, attachment, and the caregiver-infant relationship.

Main Results:

  • Untreated PMADs in caregivers negatively affect parental beliefs, infant attachment, and the caregiver-infant bond.
  • PMADs impact infant neurosynaptic development, regulatory development, and developmental milestones.
  • Fathers are also susceptible to perinatal depression and anxiety.

Conclusions:

  • Early identification and treatment of PMADs are essential for optimal infant development.
  • Routine screening for PMADs, particularly within the first six months postpartum, is recommended.
  • Cross-disciplinary communication among healthcare providers facilitates early detection and intervention.
Abstract

Keywords:
Infant developmentMaternal depressionMental health screeningPMADPaternal depressionPostpartum

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