Postpartum Depression

What Increases Your Risk

Every woman is at risk for temporary "postpartum blues" during the first 2 weeks after childbirth, because of sudden hormone changes and the challenges of caring for a newborn. Women who have miscarried or had a stillbirth are also at risk. Overall, 20% of women with postpartum blues go on to suffer from postpartum depression (PPD).

However, there are also known factors that increase your risk of having long-term depression after pregnancy. If you have had postpartum depression before, you are at high risk of having it again. About 50% of women with a PPD history will have PPD after a later pregnancy.⁶ Other risk factors include:

• Poor support from family, partner, and friends.
• High life stress, such as a sick or colicky newborn, financial troubles, or family problems.⁷
• Physical limitations or problem symptoms after childbirth.⁷
• First-time pregnancy.⁴
• Depression during a current pregnancy; 75% of women who are depressed during pregnancy will also have postpartum depression.⁶
• Previous depression; 25% of women who have ever had depression will have PPD.⁶
• Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depression, which also increases the risk of dangerous psychotic behavior after childbirth.⁶
• A family history of depression or bipolar disorder.
• Previous premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), the severe type of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Postpartum psychosis

Risk factors for postpartum psychosis include:^{2, 4}

• A personal or family history of bipolar disorder. Women with this risk factor are 3 times more likely to have postpartum psychosis symptoms than women with no bipolar history.⁴
• Previous postpartum psychosis.

If you have had postpartum psychosis before, you are at high risk for having psychotic symptoms again in the future.⁴ Your health professional will want to watch you closely, particularly if you become pregnant again.

Go to previous section	Go to top of page	Go to next section
Author:	Kathe Gallagher, MSW	Last Updated: June 30, 2006
Medical Review:	Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry
© 1995-2008 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.