New Study Finds How Postpartum Depression Worsens Over The Course Of 12 Months Following Childbirth

Postpartum Depression is quite a common happenstance that happens in every other new mother following their childbirth. Studies have further probed into the matter only to come up with superficial answers altogether, ones that don’t necessarily put forth a clear picture.

A new study (R) conducted by the researchers from the Northwestern University have studied the severity of this condition and have been successfully able to deduce the probability of whether or not a new mother would contract the postpartum depression following their parturition. The scientists primarily did focus on the top 4 trajectory concerning the maternal characteristics to draw out their conclusions regarding this condition.

The success rate was found to be around 72.8%. The identification of these characters in the new mothers is believed to be quite helpful in diagnosing the condition of postpartum depression early which is believed to be quite fruitful in early treatment to keep the condition in check.

The four main characteristics that were taken out for the assessing the probability of this condition included:

• The mother’s ability to function in their normal life including their work as well as their relationships too
• The mother’s educational qualification which can be fruitful for assessing her resources
• The mother’s depression severity in the time frame between the four to eight weeks in between the childbirth

Sheehan Fisher, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine who is also the first author of the study stated that with the findings from their study, the doctor’s have the capability to deduce the probability of postpartum depression in the would-be mother when they come to attend their 6 weeks checkup.

This is believed to be an effective way to intervene with the condition and impose better treatment options in the early stages of the treatment itself.

With the induction of postpartum depression, there are probabilities for the mother to be headed in any of the three directions over the course of time. These three trajectories include:

Gradual remission – this is the condition in which the mother suffering from the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression get better and recover over the course of time.

Partial improvement – just as the name suggests, partial improvement is the condition in which the mother encounters the symptoms of the depression for over 12 months but still recover gradually from the same over time and with proper therapy.

Chronic Severe – this is possibly the hardest of the three and just doesn’t get better over time gradually and can leave behind prevailing signs and symptoms of depression which does make it quite harder for the mothers to balance their newborn child and the overall aspect of their motherhood and normal life. The condition of the mothers suffering with this does get worse with time.

Fisher further explained stating that the question is not necessarily in the trajectory of “Whether the mother is depression” but “In which way is she headed with her condition of postpartum depression?” It all comes down to the symptoms. If she believes that the same is going to get worse over time, it is always best suggested to opt for early treatments to combat the condition as soon as possible.

Some of the common signs and symptoms that the mothers experiencing postpartum depression face include lack of quality sleep, constant feeling of disdain and worthlessness, constant and crippling negative thoughts and emotions and lack of concentration to name a few.

Seeking immediate and effective treatment for the postpartum depression is quite important, not just for the mother but also for the proper health of the child. A mother suffering from depression can have direct or even indirect impacts on the overall emotional development of the child and can even impose higher risks of anxiety and depression in them.

Fisher further explained stating that the longer it takes the woman to seek out necessary treatments, the worse the condition gets. If the condition gets worse than it has to be, chances are that it would end up taking longer to find the correct medication for the condition and even get access to the rightful provider.

Sometimes, the mode of treatment can limit to just therapy or even include medications if the condition is severe. Clinicians often tend to even advice family support because that has been proven to be of immense help for the depressed mother.

Postpartum depression, if left untreated, is not just fatal for the mental health of the mother but also for the new born child as well. This is the reason why this study is actually fruitful and beneficial for the mothers who have the risks of experiencing the symptoms of this condition and seek necessary help to correct the problem before it does get worse.