Treatment Options

- Postpartum Depression treatment is multifactorial & includes reassurance, suggestions for increased help around the home, psychoeducation, & sometimes psychotherapy & or pharmacological treatment.

- Psychotherapy treatment studies of PPD have showed the effectiveness of Interpersonal Psychotherapy.

- A study of 120 woman with major depression randomly assigned 12 weeks of IPT vs. a condition control group found IPT subjects had improvement in social adjustment & significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms. Thus, IPT may be an alternative form of pharmacotherapy treatment.

- For woman with difficulties adjusting to motherhood &/or fears about new responsibilities, individual psychotherapy can be an essential part of new treatment.

- Group psychotherapy may also be helpful for mothers who find themselves isolated.

- Postpartum Depression untreated may impact mother infant bonding, maternal functioning, & family functioning.

- After child birth, a woman experiences a myriad of changes, effecting her emotional well-being. During the transition of pregnancy to motherhood, approximately 13% of all new mothers develop PPD. However, about 80% of cases go undetected & without treatment.

- Postpartum psychosis has a 5% suicide rate and a 4% infanticide rate.