OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to examine the evidence for an association between cesarean section and postpartum depression. METHODS Medline and PsychInfo databases were searched. All studies on cesarean section that evaluated maternal mood between 10 days and 1 year after delivery were reviewed. Nine methodologically superior studies, including the only randomized, controlled tri...

Postnatal depression is a common depressive illness with a variety of potential causes. This article outlines the detection of postnatal depression, the effects that the condition has on the whole family and treatment options.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the nature of postpartum depression (PPD) among African-American women. Twelve women, who had experienced PPD within the last three years, were interviewed for approximately one hour at two intervals. Nudist-4 software and the constant comparative method were used to analyze the data. Five themes "Stressing Out," "Feeling Down," "Losing It,"...

We examined the impact on adolescent socioemotional functioning of maternal postnatal depression (PND) and attachment style. We also investigated the role of earlier aspects of the child's development-attachment in infancy, and 5-year representations of family relationships. Ninety-one mother-child pairs, recruited in the postnatal period, were followed up at 13 years. Adolescents were intervie...

Previous studies of the long-term effects of maternal postpartum depression (PPD) on child development have mostly focused on a limited set of outcomes, and have often not controlled for risk factors associated with maternal depression. The present study compared children of postpartum depressed mothers (n = 29) with children from a community sample (n = 113) in terms of a broad range of develo...

The months following childbirth are a time of heightened vulnerability to depressive mood changes. Because of the abrupt and dramatic changes occurring in hormone levels after delivery, many studies have examined the role of hormonal factors in postpartum depression. The authors review the literature on potential hormonal etiologies in postpartum depression, in particular for progesterone, estr...

Tourism is a human activity that is sensitive and reacts rapidly to crime. The City of uMhlathuze KwaZulu-Natal has recently experienced high levels of crime, which has had an impact on tourism in the area. This study was conducted on the basis that several countries around the world have coined and implemented different mechanisms and strategies to prevent crime from crippling their tourism in...

PURPOSE There is currently little information about rates of positive maternal depression screens immediately after delivery; rather, most studies have assessed the prevalence of major depression between 1 and 6 months postpartum. This study investigated the rate of positive 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) surveys within 1 to 2 days after delivery. METHODS A retrospective chart re...

In many cases, postnatal depression is not identified or treated early enough, often as a result of poor co-ordination between the health professionals involved. This article outlines a project to develop multidisciplinary working to improve the care provision for women with postnatal depression.