A new study shows that rates postpartum depression That number has more than doubled among American women in just over a decade. The study was published in the JAMA Network Open journal. A team of researchers from Kaiser Permanente Southern California say that while 1 in every 10 new mothers (9.4%) suffered from postpartum depression in 2010, by 2021 that number will rise to 1 in every 5 (19%). It’s done.

Researchers also say that increased rates of obesity during pregnancy may also be a factor as obesity has long been considered a risk factor for postpartum depression.

Whatever the cause, “the prevalence of postpartum depression is high and rising,” said lead researcher Dr. Darios Getahun, a Kaiser researcher in Pasadena, California.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a complex, intense, and often misunderstood condition that affects new mothers after childbirth. It presents as a deeper, more persistent state of sadness, anxiety, or despair that can seriously affect a mother’s ability to care for herself and her newborn. There are many reasons for the problem including hormonal changes, psychological adjustment to motherhood and lifestyle factors.

“In severe cases, postpartum depression can lead to suicide or infanticide,” the researchers write in the report.

In their new analysis, researchers tracked rates of postpartum depression for more than 442,000 California pregnancies between 2010 and 2021. According to a USNews report, the group of women was diverse and their average age at childbirth was 31 years old.

Researchers found that rates of postpartum depression doubled during the study period. The researchers said much of this may be linked to better awareness of the issue among women and their doctors.

Getahun’s team pointed to newly established guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which have encouraged postpartum depression screening as part of well-child visits. The AAP now recommends screening for postpartum depression when babies reach 1, 2, 4, and 6 months of age.

The study said that by 2021, rates of postpartum depression had increased to 17% among new mothers of normal weight, 19.8% among overweight mothers, 21.2% among women with lower levels of obesity and 21.2% among women with more severe obesity. had increased to 24.2%.

This suggests that obesity may play a role.

The team said postpartum depression rates have been rising in parallel with the “parallel increase” in obesity rates among pregnant American women over the past decade. According to Getahun’s team, prior research has shown “consistently higher rates” of postpartum depression at higher body weights.

The team said all the new findings “provide valuable insights to guide future public health initiatives aimed at improving perinatal maternal health outcomes and promoting maternal and child well-being.”

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