Post‐partum depression and infant growth in a South African peri‐urban settlement
Abstract
Aim To examine the association between maternal post‐natal depression and infant growth. Background Infant growth has recently been shown, in two studies from South Asia, to be adversely affected by maternal depression in the early post‐partum period. It is uncertain whether a similar association obtains in developing countries outside Asia. Method A sample of 147 mother–infant dyads was recruited from a peri‐urban settlement outside Cape Town and seen at 2 and 18 months post partum. Results No clear effect of post‐partum depression on infant growth was found. Although maternal depression at 2 months was found to be associated with lower infant weight at 18 months, when birthweight was considered this effect disappeared. Conclusions Possible explanations for the non‐replication of the South Asian findings are considered.
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The South African study was unable to test its hypothesis due to a lack of statistical power.
“The third study126 was conducted in South Africa; however, the authors stated that they were unable to test their hypothesis due to a lack of statistical power.”
From Consequences of maternal postpartum depression: A systematic review of maternal and infant outcomes (2019) · cites this paper as [126]
Maternal postpartum depression had no effect on stunting.
“Three other studies97,113,126 demonstrated that maternal PPD had no effect on stunting.”
From Consequences of maternal postpartum depression: A systematic review of maternal and infant outcomes (2019) · cites this paper as [126]
Maternal postpartum depression had no effect on child's weight.
“Finally, four studies demonstrated that maternal PPD had no effect100,113,126 or a very small effect112 on the child’s weight.”
From Consequences of maternal postpartum depression: A systematic review of maternal and infant outcomes (2019) · cites this paper as [126]
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- Authors
- Tomlinson, M., Cooper, P. J., Stein, A., Swartz, L., & Molteno, C.
- Affiliations
- University of Cape Town (ZA)
- University of Reading (GB)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Human Sciences Research Council (ZA)
- Corresponding author
- Tomlinson, M.
- Venue
- Child: Care, Health and Development
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2006-01
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 81-86
- ISSN
- 0305-1862 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2214
- OpenAlex
- W2021905098
- Cited by
- 113
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 5.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Child Care Health and Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Keywords
- postpartum depression, infant growth, maternal depression, infant weight, birth weight, mother-infant dyads, peri-urban settlements, South Africa
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anthropometry, Body Height, Body Weight, Child Development, Developing Countries, Female, Growth, Humans, Infant, Mother-Child Relations, South Africa, Urban Health, Child of Impaired Parents, Depression, Postpartum
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