News on Postnatal Depression - June 2007

Posted by Admin at hapis on June 07, 2007 at 15:23:36:

Postnatal Depression Soars

The number of women who have had postnatal depression could be two to three times higher than previous estimates, reveals a survey of 500 mothers commissioned by the Royal College of Midwives as part of this year's Midwifery Week (30 April – 5 May 2007).

It is estimated that 10 per cent of new mothers suffer some sort of depressive illness, yet in a GfK NOP survey conducted in April 2006, 20 per cent of women said they had postnatal depression (PND) that had resulted in treatment such as medication, special group meetings or therapy after the birth of their baby. Women with children aged under one year reported the highest incidence (27 per cent), compared to mothers with children aged 0-15 years (20 per cent).

Being in a supportive relationship appears to have a positive benefit on motherhood, as only 18 per cent of mothers who are married or living as married said they had PND, compared to 25 per cent who are single and 27 per cent who are widowed, divorced or separated.

Bad birth experience might trigger PND

Forty-one per cent of the women who said they had suffered postnatal depression (PND) described their birth experience as bad or very bad (compared to 37 per cent of all the women surveyed who described their birth as good or very good).

When asked about their first experience of childbirth, only 9 per cent of PND women said they had a very good birth experience, yet 25 per cent said they had a very bad birth experience and 16 per cent said they had a bad birth experience.

Career women less likely to suffer

Women who juggle a full time job with motherhood are half as likely to have developed postnatal depression. The survey found that 30 per cent of out of work mothers said that they had experienced PND, compared to 14 per cent of those who are working in full time jobs and 16 per cent who are working part-time.

This could be linked with isolation, as the survey also showed that 66 per cent of PND mothers experienced feelings of isolation (compared to 32 per cent of all mothers questioned) and 48 per cent were afraid of being isolated from social circle or friends (compared to 24 per cent of all mothers questioned).

Symptoms can before birth

This is supported by the survey findings which show that during their pregnancy, 63 per cent of mothers that said they had PND said they had sometimes felt sad and tearful, 57 per cent were very anxious about the pregnancy and birth and 22 per cent felt depressed or very sad a lot of the time.

Thirty-five per cent of those who said they had PND said that they had also experienced the baby blues, with 34 per cent saying that symptoms of both lasted 2-6 months and 21 per cent saying that symptoms lasted over 24 months.

Talking helps

When asked what made them feel better at this time, 76 per cent said being able to talk to someone who understood, 72 per cent said having a supportive family and 66 per cent said being able to tell someone who then could help or take action.

A supportive family plays a key role in helping depressed mothers cope, with 62 per cent of mothers who had PND saying that they thought family would be the best source of help or support (and 51 per cent of women who had PND named midwife as a source of help or support).

However, over half (54 per cent) of the PND mothers said that they lost interest in their partner.