A multirisk approach to predicting chronicity of postpartum depression symptoms

Background: Persistence of postpartum depression (PPD) carries potential adverse implications for the emerging mother-child relationship and for child development. Methods: This study was designed to investigate factors related to the onset and persistence of PPD; in particular, we examined the cumulative effect of a range of psychosocial risk factors in predicting chronic PPD symptoms. One hundred and five women were interviewed at three assessment periods: within the first days after childbirth, at 6 months, and at 18 months postpartum. Results: Depressive symptoms at 6 months predicted 18 months depressive symptoms, even when controlling for the contribution of maternal depression at birth. Psychosocial risk had a moderating influence on the stability of depressive symptomatology. Women with two or more risk factors at birth were more likely to have stable depressive symptomatology across the infants' first 18 months of life. Conclusion: To prevent a chronic course of PPD it may be necessary to identify both depressive symptoms and relevant psychosocial risk factors.