Impact of Postpartum Depression on the Mother‐Infant Couple

Postpartum depression is associated with greater perceived stress.

“Studies also showed that PPD was associated with greater perceived stress,66 more negative life events (indicating greater distress and discontinuity), more financial problems, and more illness among close relatives.37”

Women with PPD had lower self-esteem than mothers without depression.

“Another study showed that women with PPD had lower self-esteem than mothers without depression.66”

At 1 year after childbirth, women in the depressed group still suffered from mild depression and showed greater perceived stress and lower perceived social support and self-esteem than women in the nondepressed group.

“At 1 year after childbirth, women in the depressed group still suffered from mild depression and showed greater perceived stress and lower perceived social support and self-esteem than women in the nondepressed group.”

Significant differences were found between the depressed and the nondepressed groups for depression, perceived stress, social support, and self-esteem.

“Significant differences were found between the depressed and the nondepressed groups for depression, perceived stress, social support, and self-esteem.”

Compared to nondepressed women, women who were diagnosed with depression in the first weeks after childbirth continued to suffer from depression at 1 year after childbirth.

“Compared to nondepressed women, women who were diagnosed with depression in the first weeks after childbirth continued to suffer from depression at 1 year after childbirth.36,37,66”

Although mothers continued to suffer from depression, the symptoms appeared to improve, progressing from moderate-to-severe depression at 6 weeks to mild-to-moderate depression at 1 year.

“However, one study underlined that although mothers continued to suffer from depression, the symptoms appeared to improve, progressing from moderate-to-severe depression at 6 weeks to mild-to-moderate depression at 1 year.66”

There appeared to be a slight improvement in the severity of depression over time with or without treatment.

“Therefore, there appeared to be a slight improvement in the severity of depression over time with or without treatment.66”

Depressed mothers had lower perceived social support scores than nondepressed mothers.

“Depressed mothers also presented lower (perceived) social support scores than nondepressed mothers.66”

In two studies with nonsignificant results, most mothers in the depressed group had moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms that were less severe than a psychiatric diagnosis of depressive illness.

“Two studies66,107 explained the nonsignificant results by stating that most of the mothers in the depressed group had moderate-to-severe depression symptoms that were similar to a general description of psychological difficulty during the postnatal period and were less severe than a psychiatric diagnosis of a depressive illness (France and Taiwan).”

Maternal PPD has no effect on motor development (three studies).

“Three studies66,103,107 demonstrated that maternal PPD had no effect on motor development (Table 9).”

Maternal PPD has no effect on language development of infants (three studies).

“The last three studies66,95,103 showed that maternal PPD had no effect on the language development of infants.”

In one study with nonsignificant results, the majority of mothers in the depressed group had moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms that were less severe than a psychiatric diagnosis of depressive illness.

“One study66 justified the nonsignificant results because the majority of the mothers in the depressed group suffered from moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms that were less severe than a psychiatric diagnosis of a depressive illness (Taiwan).”

Maternal PPD did not seem to have a direct effect on child social development.

“Similarly, maternal PPD did not seem to have a direct effect on child social development.66,143”

The impact of maternal PPD on infant motor development seemed to be controversial: some studies demonstrated a clear effect of PPD on children's gross and fine motor development, while other studies did not demonstrate this effect.

“In contrast, the impact of maternal PPD on infant motor development seemed to be controversial: some studies94,95,97 demonstrated a clear effect of PPD on children’s gross and fine motor development, while other studies66,103,107 did not demonstrate this effect.”

Depressed mothers presented lower perceived social support than nondepressed mothers.

“However, depressed mothers presented lower perceived social support than nondepressed mothers.66”