The course of postpartum psychiatric disorders in women and their partners.
This study examined the course of postpartum psychiatric disorders in a community sample of mothers and their partners to determine whether sociodemographic variables, life stress, and psychiatric history were related to persistence of mental health problems. At 6 months postpartum, 48 index couples where the wife had a psychiatric disorder at 2 months postpartum and 50 control couples with no such diagnosis underwent diagnostic interviews and completed questionnaires on psychological symptoms, life stress, and treatment history. The results indicate that at follow-up, 54% of the index mothers still had a psychiatric diagnosis, as did 60% of their partners who had had a psychiatric diagnosis at 2 months postpartum. Socioeconomic status, country of origin, and life stress were related to persistence, as were diagnosis and timing of onset of the disorder. About a third of the parents were referred for treatment. It is concluded that for many families, postpartum psychiatric disorders are not a transient phenomenon.
Zelkowitz
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P
Department of Psychiatry, Sir Mortimer B. Davis-Jewish General Hospital and McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Milet
T H
TH
D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires