Factors Contributing to Postpartum Depression
Amy Sharp
Tarleton State University
Factors Contributing to Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression (PPD) is an often unrecognized and undertreated public health problem, affecting approximately 10-15% of women within the first year of childbirth (Thurgood, Avery, & Williamson, 2009; Pearlstein, Howard, Salisbury, & Zlotnick, 2009). Banker & LaCoursiere (2014) suggest that 40-50% of all PPD cases are unrecognized. Although most cases of PPD begin post-conception, some cases of PPD begin before the woman is pregnant (Gaynes, Gavin, Meltzer-Brody, Lohr, Swinson, Gartlehner, Brody, & Miller, 2005). Research has demonstrated that psychosocial factors, demographic factors, and factors …show more content…
Unplanned pregnancy does not necessarily mean that the pregnancy was unwanted, yet the woman would still have to deal with the consequences of the unplanned pregnancy the rest of her life (Beck, 2001). Mercier, Garrett, Thorp, & Siega-Riz (2013) suggest that a large percentage of pregnancies annually are unplanned. Due to the stress of the pregnancy, women with unwanted pregnancies or unintended pregnancies are more likely to see PPD symptoms than women who planned to become pregnant (Mercier et al., 2013). As suggested by Mercier et al. (2013), women with an unwanted pregnancy are likely to have long-term depression due to the association with significant confounding by socio-economic factors. In addition to psychosocial factors, such as childcare related stress, history of depression, and unplanned pregnancy, lead to PPD, demographic factors are said to contribute to PPD as …show more content…
One demographic factor that contributes to the onset of PPD is the age of the mother when she gets pregnant (Callister, Beckstand, & Corbett, 2010). Younger women are less likely to develop PPD (Boyce, 2003; Paykel et al., 1980). Younger mothers are at lower risk of PPD because they incorporate more up-to-date information relevant to prenatal care into their pregnancies and they are likely to have higher educations than those of higher maternal age (Beck, 2001). Khodadadi, Mahmoodi, & Mirhagjoo (2008) found that higher maternal age causes a reduction in energy, which makes the mother more susceptible to
Amy Sharp
Tarleton State University
Factors Contributing to Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression (PPD) is an often unrecognized and undertreated public health problem, affecting approximately 10-15% of women within the first year of childbirth (Thurgood, Avery, & Williamson, 2009; Pearlstein, Howard, Salisbury, & Zlotnick, 2009). Banker & LaCoursiere (2014) suggest that 40-50% of all PPD cases are unrecognized. Although most cases of PPD begin post-conception, some cases of PPD begin before the woman is pregnant (Gaynes, Gavin, Meltzer-Brody, Lohr, Swinson, Gartlehner, Brody, & Miller, 2005). Research has demonstrated that psychosocial factors, demographic factors, and factors …show more content…
Unplanned pregnancy does not necessarily mean that the pregnancy was unwanted, yet the woman would still have to deal with the consequences of the unplanned pregnancy the rest of her life (Beck, 2001). Mercier, Garrett, Thorp, & Siega-Riz (2013) suggest that a large percentage of pregnancies annually are unplanned. Due to the stress of the pregnancy, women with unwanted pregnancies or unintended pregnancies are more likely to see PPD symptoms than women who planned to become pregnant (Mercier et al., 2013). As suggested by Mercier et al. (2013), women with an unwanted pregnancy are likely to have long-term depression due to the association with significant confounding by socio-economic factors. In addition to psychosocial factors, such as childcare related stress, history of depression, and unplanned pregnancy, lead to PPD, demographic factors are said to contribute to PPD as …show more content…
One demographic factor that contributes to the onset of PPD is the age of the mother when she gets pregnant (Callister, Beckstand, & Corbett, 2010). Younger women are less likely to develop PPD (Boyce, 2003; Paykel et al., 1980). Younger mothers are at lower risk of PPD because they incorporate more up-to-date information relevant to prenatal care into their pregnancies and they are likely to have higher educations than those of higher maternal age (Beck, 2001). Khodadadi, Mahmoodi, & Mirhagjoo (2008) found that higher maternal age causes a reduction in energy, which makes the mother more susceptible to