Postpartum depression

Key Points

Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most common and serious postpartum condition, affecting 10% to 20% of mothers within the first year of childbirth.¹ Studies have found that up to 50% of women with PPD go undiagnosed.² Risk factors comprise a prior history of depression, including PPD, and depression during pregnancy. The World Health Organization has identified major depression as the fourth-leading cause of disease, with estimated costs of $30 billion to $50 billion in lost productivity and medical costs in the United States per year.¹ Women with a prior history of postpartum depression have an approximate 25% to 50% risk of recurrence.^3,4 Other risk factors include recent stressful life events, lack of social support, and unintended pregnancy.⁵

Postpartum depression has been shown to be more common among women who are economically stressed or disadvantaged and is highly prevalent in low-income, black mothers.² Studies of economically disadvantaged families have shown that depressive symptoms can last beyond the initial postpartum year, which exceeds the current diagnostic criteria for PPD, and have a prevalence of 23% to 25%.⁶