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Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and it is well known that there are strong links between parental and child depression. Understanding this relationship is key to trying to prevent intergenerational transmission. Worldwide, one in five women suffers from postpartum depression. A new study published in BJPsych looked at maternal and paternal depression and child mental health trajectories. “Our study is about tracking mood over time in children of parents who were depressed in pregnancy and/or after birth,” study author, Professor Rebecca Pearson of Manchester Metropolitan University/University of Bristol told us. [More]

On May 6th, maternal mental health organizations around the globe will be joining forces to raise awareness during World Maternal Mental Health Day which falls on the first Wednesday of May each year. Advocates say there is a lack of universal screening and access to treatment for pregnant women, new mothers, and also new fathers and partners who may also be suffering from a perinatal mental illness. [More]

The search is ongoing into the multiple causes of prenatal and postpartum depression (PPD), the umbrella term for several maternal mental health illnesses that also include anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder and psychosis. Now, a new Italian study adds to the ongoing research into the causes of PPD after its results show that new mothers are at an increased risk for anxiety following elective cesarean births. [More]

The advice is to sleep when the baby sleeps but how much of an impact does frequent interrupted sleep have on the mental health of new parents? And are there other factors besides caring for a newborn that could be causing poor sleep quality for pregnant and postpartum moms? [More]

Postpartum anxiety is common yet we don’t hear of it as often as we do postpartum depression even though it results in “highly detrimental” and long-term effects on a mother and child. A woman is more susceptible to anxiety in the postpartum period than at any other time of her life. [More]

Researchers are looking into the biological causes of perinatal depression. The hope is that one day there will be a biological test for women. [More]