middot; Occurrence: Postpartum depression develops in approximately 10% of all postpartum women. The greatest risk occurs at approximately 4 weeks after delivery. middot; Contributing factors: Risks for postpartum depression include primiparity (first pregnancy), history of postpartum depression, lack of social support, and lack of stable relationships.

Postpartum depression seems to be triggered by the changes in hormone levels that occur after pregnancy. These hormonal changes are especially likely to lead to postpartum depression if you've had depression before. You are also more likely to have PPD if you have poor support from your partner, friends, or family, have a sick or colicky baby, or are under significant additional stress.

Be sure to report any feelings of postpartum blues to your health professional at your first postpartum checkup, so he or she can follow up with you. Postpartum depression may seem like the blues that have become worse. Or you may notice it weeks after delivery. (However, the less common symptoms of postpartum psychosis can be noted as soon as 1 to 2 days after delivery.)

PPD affects both you and your baby. It interferes with your ability to function normally, including caring for and bonding with your baby. Over time, your baby's development and behavior are likely to suffer from the effects of PPD.1 Getting treatment for postpartum depression is important for both you and your baby. On average, untreated PPD lasts 7 months and can continue for over a year.1 With treatment, symptoms improve much more quickly.2

Having a baby can be one of the biggest and happiest events in a woman's life. While life with a new baby can be thrilling and rewarding, it can also be hard and stressful at times. Many physical and emotional changes can happen to a woman when she is pregnant and after she gives birth. These changes can leave new mothers feeling sad, anxious, afraid, or confused. For many women, these feelings (called the baby blues) go away quickly.

Having headaches, chest pains, heart palpitations (the heart being fast and feeling like it is skipping beats), numbness, or hyperventilation (fast and shallow breathing). A woman may feel anxious after childbirth but not have PPD. She may have what is called postpartum anxiety or panic disorder. Signs of this condition include strong anxiety and fear, rapid breathing, fast heart rate, hot or cold flashes, chest pain, and feeling shaky or dizzy.

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects women of all ages, economic status, and racial/ethnic backgrounds. Any woman who is pregnant, had a baby within the past few months, miscarried, or recently weaned a child from breastfeeding can develop PPD. The number of children a woman has does not change her chances of getting PPD. New mothers and women with more than one child have equal chances of getting PPD.

It is important to know that postpartum depression (PPD) is treatable and that it will go away. The type of treatment will depend on how severe the PPD is. PPD can be treated with medication (antidepressants) and psychotherapy. Women with PPD are often advised to attend a support group to talk with other women who are going through the same thing. If a woman is breastfeeding, she needs to talk with her health care provider about taking antidepressants.

Stop putting pressure on yourself to do everything. Do as much as you can and leave the rest! Ask for help with household chores and nighttime feedings. Do not spend a lot of time alone. Get dressed and leave the house - run an errand or take a short walk. Talk to your health care provider about medical treatment. Do not be shy about telling them your concerns. Not all health care providers know how to tell if you have PPD.

Like most diseases, there is not one factor responsible for the development of depression. Women most likely to suffer the onset of a new episode of depression have a history of depression, significant life stressors, a negativistic style of thinking, and less social support than women who do not develop episodes.

Women can complete a self-rating questionnaire called the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to determine if they might have postpartum depression. Please fill out the questionnaire. If your score is 10 or above, or if you have had recent thoughts of harming yourself, your baby, or anyone else, it is important for you to see your primary care provider or your mental health provider in the near future for a clinical assessment.

Treatments for postpartum depression are designed to address the woman's management of the stress that she experiences. Stress can come from outside the person (such as an ill parent or child, or financial problems) or from inside (such as a chronic medical illness or a hereditary vulnerability to depression). Psychotherapy and/or antidepressant medications are established treatments. Cognitive behavior therapy and interpersonal therapy have been found helpful in treating this condition.