title: Important determinants of newborn health: postpartum depression, teen parenting, and breast-feeding.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present article addresses recent research related to three important determinants of newborn health: postpartum depression, teenage parents and their offspring, and breast-feeding.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postpartum depression can impact the entire family unit, and fathers may be affected more than previously recognized. Teenage mothers and their infants are at risk of a number of poor physical and mental health outcomes. New research continues to support the benefits of breast-feeding infants, and hospitals have adopted policies to improve breast-feeding rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recognizing both maternal and paternal depression during outpatient visits is key to family well-being, as well as to infant development and attachment. Pediatric providers should address the unique emotional, socioeconomic, educational, and health needs of teen mothers. Hospital implementation of evidence-based policies may increase the number of mothers who are successful in establishing breast-feeding, and pediatric healthcare providers should be prepared to support mothers of breast-feeding infants.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Pediatrics, Drexel University College of Medicine, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania bDepartment of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Katie E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: McPeak
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sandrock
authors.forename: Nancy D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Spector
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Pattishall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology*; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008016:Life Change Events; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support