Postpartum Depression

Along with the joy of welcoming a new baby into the world, many mothers feel sad, anxious, or afraid. These feelings can be indicative of the "baby blues" or of postpartum depression.

Baby Blues

About 70-80% of all new mothers experience the mild symptoms associated with baby blues within 2-4 days after birth. Symptoms include:

• Frequent, prolonged crying for no clear reason
• Trouble sleeping, eating, or making choices
• Irritability or quick mood changes
• Anxiety over ability to care for the baby

This can last a maximum of weeks, and it resolves without treatment.

Postpartum Depression

About 10-20% of new mothers experience the more debilitating and longer lasting symptoms of postpartum depression. These symptoms can appear anytime during the first year after birth, but typically begin within three months of birth:

• Baby blues that do not go away after 2 weeks
• Strong feelings of depression, anxiety and anger
• Sadness, doubt, guilt, or helplessness that get in the way of normal daily functions
• Withdrawal from family, friends, or pleasurable activities
• Constant fatigue, trouble sleeping, or change in appetite
• Inability to care for self or baby
• Intense worry about the baby or a lack of feeling for the baby
• Thoughts about suicide; fears of harming the baby

This form of depression can be successfully treated with many types of therapy, but many women who experience it do not seek treatment. The attached questionnaire, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, is used to screen for postpartum depression. A score of 10 or more indicates that you should speak with a health professional about postpartum depression, and a score of 5-9 indicates that you are at risk for developing the illness. Please browse our NIMH-funded website, www.MedEdPPD.org for more information.

Treatment Options

Katherine L. Wisner, M.D., M.S., of Women's Behavioral HealthCARE of WPIC/UPMC, is a leading researcher and expert in treating depression during pregnancy and postpartum. Her numerous NIMH-funded research projects and articles have provided insight into the treatment and management of depression.

Any new mother who experiences symptoms of postpartum depression should contact a health professional for treatment. Women's Behavioral HealthCARE is happy to provide resources and information to these women as well; just call (412) 586-9072 for information! See our study of estradiol transdermal patch treatment on this website.