Postpartum depression

After giving birth, about 70-80% of women experience an episode of baby blues, feelings of depression, anger, anxiety and guilt lasting for several days. About 10% of new mothers develop the more severe postpartum depression (also postnatal depression), a form of major depression for which treatment is widely recommended.

Diagnosis

The diagnostic criteria for postpartum depression (PPD) are the same as that for major depression, except that to distinguish PPD from the baby (maternity) blues, the symptoms must be present past the second week postpartum.

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