title: Maternity blues and postpartum depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between maternity blues and postpartum depression in mothers discharged early from the hospital and those discharged after the customary length of hospital stay.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive correlation design.
  
  
  METHODS
  550-bed community and teaching hospital in the midwestern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  49 privately paying, primiparous, American-born women, 18 years of age or older, with uncomplicated pregnancies and vaginal deliveries of healthy neonates weighing 2,600-4,000 g.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stein Maternity Blues Scale and Beck Depression Inventory were used to collect data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences found between the two groups of mothers; significant relationships found between maternity blues at 1 week after delivery and postpartum depression at 6 and 12 weeks after delivery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early discharge appears to pose no threat to psychologic well-being. Primiparas experiencing more severe maternity blues are at increased risk for postpartum depression.
authors.affiliation: Florida Atlantic University, College of Nursing, Boca Raton 33431-0991.
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rutowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015146:Midwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index