Chapter 1 - Clinical Overview

Excerpted from the CAMH publication: Postpartum Depression: A Guide for Front-Line Health and Social Service Providers

• What is postpartum depression? Does it differ from depression that occurs at other times?
• How common is it?
• What are its symptoms? How do clinicians diagnose it?
• Once a woman has experienced postpartum depression, what are her chances of experiencing further episodes of depression?
• What other types of mood disorders are common to the postpartum period?

Childbirth is a time of great physiological, psychological and social change. Having a psychiatric illness at such a crucial time in family life affects the mother, her partner, her children and family, and as such represents a considerable public health problem.

For centuries, medical professionals have noted the association between childbirth and mental illness. Studies have shown that women are at increased risk of developing a severe mood (or affective) disorder in the postpartum period, and are at a much greater risk of being admitted to a psychiatric hospital in the first month postpartum than at any other time in life (Kendell et al., 1987; Paffenbarger, 1982). Service providers working with new mothers will likely provide care to women who have the illness.

This chapter describes the affective states that are common following childbirth, focusing on postpartum depression (PPD); other disorders described include the baby blues and pinks, postpartum anxiety and psychosis. The chapter will differentiate between the disorders, and highlight problems and symptoms that may require intervention.

In Chapter 1 - Clinical Overview:

• Postpartum Depression (PPD)
• Are There Effective Treatments for Depression?
• Different Clinical Presentations of Depressive Symptoms
• Other Types of Postpartum Mood Disturbance
• Summary

Please note: One page in the PDF version of Chapter 1 - Clinical Overview has been cropped because of reprint rights. Only the top part of the page is visible.

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