Because of a rise in postpartum depression (PPD), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently indicated a need for more studies of possible risk factors for PPD. PPD can continue for months or years after birth and has consequences for the family as a whole. Past research has not investigated the relationships between abuse, whether physical, sexual, or emotional, and PPD. The aim of this pilot study was to compare the prevalence of PPD among abused and non-abused women during the first 4 months after birth. Although 89 women initially enrolled in the study, only 50 participants completed the 1-week data collection. Of these 50, 30% reported previous or current physical or sexual abuse. Of these 50 participants, 22 dropped out during the 4-month-long study, resulting in a final sample size of 28. Abused women were significantly more depressed at 1 week and 2 and 3 months postpartum than the non-abused group until their depression scores at entry into the study and 1 week were statistically controlled. An unexpected finding was the prevalence of depression at 1 week after birth, indicative of unresolved prenatal depression, "baby blues," or true PPD. In addition, emotional abuse was reported by both groups and was significantly higher for the previously abused women. Although sample size and high attrition limit generalization, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of PPD between the two groups. Future research should explore the relationships between abuse and depression with larger samples and include pregnant subjects.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2005.07.010 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Study on the changes and influencing factors of depression in Chinese women with cancer: an analysis based on CHARLS panel data.
Front Public Health
January 2025
School of Languages and Media, Anhui University of Finance and Economics, Bengbu, China.
Background: The social problems caused by depressive disorders and psychological behaviors in women are increasingly prominent, with extreme incidents occurring from time to time. Therefore, the issue concerning "how to prevent and resolve the risk of depression in women" is gaining significant attention across various sectors. However, previous studies have largely focused on teenage girls, perimenopausal women, or women during pregnancy and the postpartum period, neglecting the adverse effects of major diseases, which is detrimental to enhancing the psychological well-being of women with cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExamining the associations between social support and postpartum depression symptoms among adolescent mothers in Nairobi, Kenya.
Reprod Health
January 2025
Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (SRMNCAH) Unit, African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya.
Background: Globally, adolescent mothers are at increased risk for postpartum depression (PPD). In Kenya, 15% of adolescent girls become mothers before the age of 18. While social support can buffer a mother's risk of PPD, there are gaps in knowledge as to whether-and which types-of social support are protective for adolescent mothers in Kenya.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeuroactive steroid biosynthesis during pregnancy predicts future postpartum depression: a role for the 3α and/or 3β-HSD neurosteroidogenic enzymes?
Neuropsychopharmacology
January 2025
Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
Postpartum depression (PPD) affects ~10-15% of childbearing individuals, with deleterious consequences for two generations. Recent research has explored the biological mechanisms of PPD, particularly neuroactive steroids (NAS). We sought here to investigate associations between NAS levels and ratios during pregnancy and the subsequent development of depressive symptoms with postpartum onset.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPostpartum Dams Exposed to a Low-Resource Environment Display Neuroinflammation, Elevated Corticosterone, and Anhedonia-like Behavior.
J Appl Physiol (1985)
January 2025
Department of Physiology and Anatomy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX.
Women living in an impoverished environment after birth have an increased risk of developing postpartum depression (PP-Dep) and hypertension (PP-HTN). The mechanisms underlying these heightened risks are unknown and understudied. To examine the relation between reduced environmental resources, PP-Dep, and PP-HTN; postpartum rodent dams were exposed to the low-resource limited bedding and nesting (LBN) chronic stress model during weaning.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFManagement of hypertension in the early postpartum: A randomized controlled trial.
Pregnancy Hypertens
January 2025
Heart Institute (InCor) do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Objectives: To evaluate blood pressure control during the immediate postpartum period in hypertensive women who had used methyldopa during pregnancy, comparing continuation of that drug with switching it for captopril.
Study Design: A single-blind, randomized clinical trial involving 172 postpartum women with hypertension who had previously used methyldopa during pregnancy at a minimum dose of 750 mg/day for at least one week prior to delivery. The subtypes of hypertension included were gestational hypertension, chronic hypertension, preeclampsia, superimposed preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome and eclampsia.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!