Family History of Psychiatric Disorder Doubles Postpartum Depression Risk

The Mayo Clinic defines postpartum depression (PPD) as a form of long-lasting depression that occurs after childbirth. Understanding the risk of developing postpartum depression can help providers treat patients appropriately and protect parents and their children. A publication in JAMA Psychiatry found that a family history of psychiatric disorders leads to a two-fold greater risk of postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression can often be confused with “baby blues.” According to the CDC, “Feelings of postpartum depression are more intense and last longer than those of ‘baby blues,’ a term used to describe the worry, sadness, and tiredness many women experience after having a baby. ‘Baby blues’ symptoms typically resolve on their own within a few days.”

Symptoms of this disorder include, but are not limited to, feelings of sadness and anxiety, loss of energy, difficulty concentrating, suicidal thoughts or ideations, and erratic eating patterns.

The CDC lists several risk factors that may make a person more likely to experience postpartum depression including pregnancy complications, limited social support, and personal history of depression.

Treatment for this disorder varies and is usually determined by a licensed mental healthcare professional.

This study set out to better understand how a family history of psychiatric disorders impacts the risk of developing postpartum depression by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 studies on 100,877 participants.

The study determined that the odds ratio of developing PPD was 2.08 if the parent giving birth had a family history of psychiatric disorder. Additionally, the relative risk of PPD was 1.79 in parents with a family history of psychiatric disease compared to those without a family history of psychiatric disease, a nearly doubled risk.

Further studies will need to be conducted to determine exactly how familial psychiatric history contributes to PPD risk. Until then, clinicians may consider using this data as well as existing risk assessments to determine the patient’s risk of PPD and craft a treatment plan.

“This systematic review and meta-analysis highlights that mothers with a family history of any psychiatric disorder have an almost doubled risk of developing PPD compared with mothers without. Information on family history of psychiatric disorders is easy to identify through simple self-reported question(s), potentially as part of routine perinatal care, and early identification makes timely and targeted intervention possible to prevent PPD or mitigate the consequences thereof,” concluded researchers in the publication.