EPSDT Care for Kids Newsletter

EPSDT Care for Kids Newsletter

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FACT SHEET on Maternal Depression
Spring 2000

RISK FACTORS for postpartum depression	SYMPTOMS of postpartum depression
Personal history of depression Family history of depression Unplanned pregnancy Poor support from partner Single parent Depression during pregnancy Complications during pregnancy Pre-term birth Poor social support	Depressed mood Lack of interest or pleasure in activities Lack of appetite or pleasure in eating Sleep too much; or can’t sleep at all Fatigue or apathy Feelings of guilt or worthlessness Poor concentration, forgetfulness Persistent anxiety Thoughts of death or suicide

	Maternal depression is common.
Type	Description	% of women affected
Prepartum depression	Chronic depression	10%
Baby blues	An intense feeling of letdown that begins within a few weeks of birth, and then subsides	40 to 70%
Postpartum depression	Can begin any time during the year following childbirth, continues for a longer time and is more intense than "baby blues"	10 to 20%
Postpartum psychosis	Can begin any time during the first year after childbirth; a break with reality that resembles manic depression and may include hallucinations and delusions	.01% (1:1000 mothers)

	Maternal depression can profoundly affect a child’s development
INFANTS whose mothers have depression may:	Be less active Be fussier Be less responsive to others Be slower to walk Have higher heart rates and lower vagal tone Vocalize less frequently Weigh less
TODDLERS whose mothers have depression may:	Be at higher risk for affective disorder Exhibit problem behaviors Have attention problems Have poor peer relationships Have problems with self-control Develop symptoms that mimic the mother’s depressed behavior
AT 36 MONTHS without treatment, these youngsters often:	Are less cooperative Are more aggressive Continue to show brain activity that suggests chronic depression. Demonstrate less verbal comprehension Have lower expressive language skills Have more problem behaviors Perform more poorly on measures of school readiness Will demonstrate lower cognitive ability at four years of age
	Successful treatment matters. In one study, when remission of maternal depression occurred within 6 months of a child’s birth, children had no cognitive delay or emotional symptoms at one year of age.

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