Maternal and infant outcomes of maternal postpartum depression

The postpartum period also carries the time risk for the emergence of maternal postpartum depression. However, little is known about the overall maternal outcomes of maternal postpartum depression. Slomian J et al., in their study, evaluated both the infant and the maternal consequences of untreated maternal postpartum depression.

They scrutinized all studies published between 1st of January 2005 and 17th of August 2016, using MEDLINE via Ovid, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials registry; and sorted 122 studies (out of 3712 references retrieved from bibliographic databases) for their systematic review. 

They categorized the results of the studies into three categories: (a) the maternal consequences of postpartum depression, comprising physical health, psychological health, relationship, and risky behaviors; (b) the infant consequences of postpartum depression, comprising of anthropometry, physical health, sleep, and motor, cognitive, language, emotional, social, and behavioral development; and (c) mother-child interactions, comprising of bonding, breastfeeding, and the maternal role.

Their results suggested that postpartum depression constructs a non-conductive environment that hinders the personal development of mothers and the optimal development of a child. It is, therefore, essential to diagnose and treat depression during the postnatal period at the earliest possible to avoid harmful consequences.

Slomian J, Honvo G, Emonts P, Reginster J-Y, Bruyère O. Consequences of maternal postpartum depression: A systematic review of maternal and infant outcomes. Women’s Health. 2019;15. doi:10.1177/1745506519844044