title: Maternal mental health in Australia and New Zealand: a review of longitudinal studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this paper is to describe the factors that impact on the mental health of Australian and New Zealand (NZ) women in the perinatal period (pregnancy and the year following birth), and to determine the impact of perinatal mental health on women's subsequent health by summarising findings from prospective longitudinal studies conducted in Australia and NZ.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic search was conducted using the databases, Scopus, Medline, PsychInfo and Health Source to identify prospective longitudinal studies focused on women's social and emotional health in the perinatal period. Forty-eight papers from eight longitudinal studies were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of women reporting depressive symptoms in the first year after birth was between 10 and 20% and this has remained stable over 25 years. The two strongest predictors for depression and anxiety were previous history of depression and poor partner relationship. Importantly, women's mood appears to be better in the first year after birth, when compared to pregnancy and five years later. Becoming a mother at a young age is by itself not a risk factor unless coupled with social disadvantage. Women report a high number of stressors in pregnancy and following birth and the rate of intimate partner violence reported is worryingly high.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Midwives have an important role in the identification, support and referral of women experiencing mental health problems. As many women do not seek help from mental health services, the potential for a known midwife to impact on women's mental health warrants further examination.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia. v.schmied@uws.edu.au
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schmied
authors.forename: Maree
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Norell
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Naidoo
authors.forename: Marie-Paule
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matthey
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meade
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yeo
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008423:Maternal Age; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D008603:Mental Health; D009520:New Zealand; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy
keywords: Depression postpartum; Longitudinal studies; Maternal health; Mental health; Midwifery; Women's health