title: Preventing postpartum depression.
abstract: Major depression is a frequent complication of the postpartum period. Untreated postpartum depression increases the risk of maternal suicide and can impair parenting capability with resultant adverse effects on offspring development. A number of factors influence a woman's vulnerability to postpartum depressive episodes. This article summarizes processes for assessing these risk factors and implementing primary preventive interventions, and summarizes methods of early detection to promote secondary and tertiary prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's/Faulkner Hospitals, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.lmiller23@partners.org
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: LaRusso
mesh_terms: D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors