Postpartum Depression News and Research

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Eighty percent of women experience some level of the baby blues after giving birth, and symptoms usually clear up on their own. One in eight-to-ten women experiences postpartum depression. When symptoms don't go away in a few weeks, women should seek help through health care providers and licensed counselors. Treatment may include talk therapy, medication, support groups, or a combination of these.

Women who experience postpartum psychiatric disorders less likely to have a second child

Women who experience postpartum psychiatric disorders after the birth of their first child are less likely have more children.

30 Mar 2020

Paid maternity leave associated with mental and physical health benefits for mothers, children

Paid maternity leave has major mental and physical health benefits for mothers and children - including reduced rates of postpartum depression and infant mortality, according to a report in the March/April issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry.

9 Mar 2020

Child’s scent tells mom how development is proceeding

Mothers do know best – or at least their noses do, according to a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology in March 2020. Of course, mothers and others love smelling the sweet smell of a healthy, clean baby. However, more than just the pleasure of that body smell, complex nose-brain interactions seem to be telling mothers more about what stage of development the child is at, according to these researchers.

4 Mar 2020

Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy influences child's gut immunity

A woman's mental health during pregnancy has a direct influence on the development of her child's immune system, according to a new study from pediatric researchers at the University of Alberta.

3 Mar 2020

Women with independent living challenges have highest risk for unintended pregnancy

Pregnancies among women with disabilities are 42% more likely to be unintended than pregnancies among women without disabilities, says a new report published in the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health.

28 Feb 2020

Two out of three young mothers have mental health problems, study shows

New research from McMaster Children's Hospital shows that two out of three young mothers have at least one mental health problem.

23 Feb 2020

General anesthesia in cesarean delivery linked with increased risk of postpartum depression

A new study shows that having general anesthesia in a cesarean delivery is linked with significantly increased odds of severe postpartum depression requiring hospitalization, thoughts of suicide or self-inflicted injury.

4 Feb 2020

Maternal depression associated with development of atopic dermatitis in children

Maternal depression in the postpartum period, and even beyond, is associated with the development of atopic dermatitis throughout childhood and adolescence, according to a recent study published in the journal Dermatitis.

21 Jan 2020

Black mothers get less treatment for postpartum depression than other moms

Portia Smith’s most vivid memories of her daughter’s first year are of tears. Not the baby’s. Her own.

6 Dec 2019

Drops containing a specific probiotic strain can reduce colic in infants

Probiotics--or "good bacteria"--have been used to treat infant colic with varying success. In a new trial published in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, investigators have shown that drops containing a particular probiotic strain (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12) reduced the duration of daily crying by more than 50% in 80% of the 40 infants who received the probiotic once daily for 28 days.

4 Dec 2019

UIC and IDPH receive $9.5 million grant to improve maternal outcomes in Illinois

A $9.5 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration will help the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Illinois Department of Public Health improve maternal outcomes in Illinois.

18 Nov 2019

Medicaid tweak might offer means to improve U.S. maternal health

When Madavia Johnson gave birth to Donald Ray Dowless III last year, she was hit by a case of severe postpartum anxiety.

13 Nov 2019

Link between pregnancy stress, immune activation, and postpartum depression

A new study presented at the Society for Neuroscience meeting on October 19, 2019, at Chicago, shows for the first time how postpartum depression could actually be due to abnormal immune system activation within the brain, which in turn is set off by chronic pregnancy stress. This is the earliest study to show this link in animals.

22 Oct 2019

Study uncovers brain biology behind postpartum depression

Chronic stress during pregnancy triggers an immune response in the brain that has potential to alter brain functions in ways that could contribute to postpartum depression, new research in animals suggests.

22 Oct 2019

Research shows brain's immune system gets activated by stress during pregnancy

21 Oct 2019

Twin birth rate falls in the US due to improvements in reproductive technology

According to a new report by the CDC, twin birth rates in the US have dropped by 4% since 2014, potentially due to improvements in reproductive technology.

4 Oct 2019

Resilience exerts a protective role against negative effects of stress during pregnancy

Resilience—understood as the set of personal resources that help individuals deal effectively with adversity, protecting them from the negative health effects of stress—is receiving increasing attention from researchers.

6 Sep 2019

Researchers seek to identify biomarkers that may predict suicide risk among women

A four-year, $3.1 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health will help researchers determine how the stabilization of ovarian hormones estradiol and progesterone may help lower symptoms associated with suicidality among females with longstanding thoughts of suicide.

5 Aug 2019

iTHRIV and community groups partner to address health needs across Virginia

Four biomedical research projects to improve the health of Virginians will be funded by the integrated Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia (iTHRIV), a Clinical Translational Science Award Hub.