1. Postpartum Depression Slideshow Pictures
2. Understanding Depression Pictures
3. Depression Tips Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD

Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD

Dr. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist. She is a former Chair of the Committee on Developmental Disabilities for the American Psychiatric Association, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and Medical Director of the National Center for Children and Families in Bethesda, Maryland.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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No specific cause of postpartum depression has been found.

• Hormone imbalance is thought to play a role.
• Levels of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol fall dramatically within 48 hours after delivery.
• Women who go on to develop postpartum depression may be more sensitive to these hormonal changes.
• Other known risk factors
• Mental illness before pregnancy
• Mental illness, including postpartum depression, in the family
• Postpartum mental disorder after an earlier pregnancy
• Conflict in the marriage, loss of employment, or poor social support from friends and family
• Pregnancy loss such as miscarriage or stillbirth
• The risk of major depression after miscarriage is high for women who are childless. It occurs even in women who were unhappy about being pregnant.
• The risk for developing depression after miscarriage is highest within the first few months after the loss.
• Childbirth is a time of great change for a woman. The adjustment to these changes can contribute to depression.
• Physical changes after delivery
• Many changes occur after delivery, including changes in muscle tone and difficulty losing weight.
• Many new mothers are very tired after giving birth and in the weeks afterward.
• Soreness and pain in the perineal area (area around the birth canal) makes many women uncomfortable. Physical recovery after cesarean delivery may take even longer than after vaginal delivery.
• Changes in hormones can affect mood.
• Common emotional changes after delivery
• Feelings of loss of an old identity, feeling trapped at home
• Feeling overwhelmed with responsibilities of motherhood
• Feeling stress from changes in routine
• Feeling fatigue because of broken sleep patterns
• Feeling less attractive physically and sexually
• A mother's age and the number of children she has had do not relate to her likelihood of getting postpartum depression.
• Men whose partners suffer from postpartum depression have been found to be at higher risk for developing a similar condition or other mental health problems at that time.

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