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Abstract: 

Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most common complication of pregnancy. It is not only devastating for mothers, but it can disrupt their ability to parent and have significant effects on the children in their care—effects that can negatively affect the well-being and school readiness of children and can even lead to child psychopathology. Despite these findings, studies indicate that PPD is under-recognized, under-identified, and under-treated. This article provides an overview of PPD and its impact on children, presents a review of PPD and public health policy, provides recommendations and treatments based on current evidence, and suggests future directions. In addition, it focuses on the importance of recognizing, identifying, and treating PPD as a portal of entry for the prevention of mental illness in children.

Keywords: postpartum depression, maternal child interactions, evidence-based treatments, dyadic treatment of postpartum depression, prevention of mental illness

Affiliations:  1: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine.