Postpartum Depressive Symptoms Following Consecutive Pregnancies: Stability, Change, and Mechanisms.
Postpartum depression is a major mental health issue for women and society. We examined stability and change in symptoms of depression over two consecutive pregnancies and tested life stress as a potential mechanism. The Community Child Health Network followed an ethnically/racially diverse sample from one month after a birth for two years. A subset of 228 women had a second birth. Interview measures of depression symptoms (EPDS) and life stress (life events, perceived stress, chronic stress, interpersonal aggression) were obtained during home visits. Three-quarters of the sample showed intra-individual stability in depressive symptoms from one postpartum period to the next, and 24% of the sample had clinically significant symptoms after at least one pregnancy (9% first, 7.5% second, 3.5% both). Each of the four life stressors significantly mediated the association between depressive symptoms across two postpartum periods. Stress between pregnancies for women may be an important mechanism perpetuating postpartum depression.
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles.
Christine Dunkel
CD
Schetter
Department of Psychology, University of Southern California.
Darby
D
Saxbe
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles.
Alyssa
A
Cheadle
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles.
Christine
C
Guardino
Postpartum depression; interpregnancy interval; postpartum depressive symptoms; stress mechanisms