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Cited by 125Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumSubstance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesPrenatal Substance Exposure Effects

Postpartum Substance Use and Depressive Symptoms: A Review

Open access
Chapman, Shawna L. Carroll, Wu, Li-Tzy·2013·Women & Health
DOI 10.1080/03630242.2013.804025PMC PMC3742364
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Abstract

National survey data suggest that new mothers have high prevalences of alcohol and illicit drug use. Depression correlates with substance use, and new mothers with postpartum depression may be at high risk for substance use. Understanding postpartum substance use and its relationship to postpartum depression can inform future research and intervention. A literature search was conducted resulting in 12 studies published from 1999-2012 examining postpartum alcohol use, drug use, or combined postpartum depression and substance use. Postpartum alcohol (prevalence range 30.1%-49%) and drug use (4.5%-8.5%) were lower than use among not pregnant, not postpartum women (41.5%-57.5%, 7.6%-10.6%, respectively) but higher than use among pregnant women (5.4%-11.6%, 3.7%-4.3%, respectively). Correlates of postpartum problem drinking were being unemployed, unmarried, and a cigarette smoker. Prevalence of drug use was highest among white new mothers, followed by blacks and Hispanics, but black new mothers appeared at greater risk of drug use. No identified studies examined correlates of postpartum drug use beyond race/ethnicity. Postpartum depressive symptoms were prevalent among postpartum substance users and those with a substance use history (19.7%-46%). The postpartum period is a critical time. Prevalent substance use and the scarcity of studies warrant research to identify means to reduce maternal substance use.

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  • Other nonsystematic and systematic reviews have explored specific maternal risks when mothers' PPD is untreated, including more weight problems, alcohol and illicit drug use, social relationship problems, breastfeeding problems, or persistent depression compared with women who have received treatment.

    “Other nonsystematic and systematic reviews have also explored specific maternal risks when mothers’ PPD is untreated, including more weight problems,18,19 alcohol and illicit drug use,20 social relationship problems,21 breastfeeding problems,22 or persistent depression23 compared with women who have received treatment.”

    From Consequences of maternal postpartum depression: A systematic review of maternal and infant outcomes (2019) · cites this paper as [20]

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Authors
Chapman, S. L. C., & Wu, L.-T.
Affiliations
Duke University (US)
Corresponding author
Chapman, Shawna L. Carroll
ORCID
Wu, Li-Tzy
Venue
Women & Health
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2013-07
Volume
53
Issue
5
Pages
479-503
ISSN
  • 0363-0242 (ISSN-L)
  • 1541-0331
DOI
10.1080/03630242.2013.804025
PMC
PMC3742364
OpenAlex
W1981164640
Cited by
125
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 4
FWCI
2.38
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Women & Health (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA019623, R33DA027503, R01DA019901)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects
Keywords
postpartum depression, illicit drug use, maternal substance use, depressive symptoms, prevalence, racial and ethnic differences, smoking, unemployment, marital status, pregnant women
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Alcohol Drinking, Female, Humans, Mothers, Pregnancy, Depression, Postpartum, Substance-Related Disorders, Postpartum Period

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