Postpartum Mysteries Still Unsolved

Celebrities like Brooke Shields and Courteney Cox have done their part to bring the media spotlight on postpartum depression, but just because we’re more aware doesn’t mean we’re no longer confused.

Although researchers are attempting to answer questions surrounding postpartum depression, said to affect 13 percent of women, it’s a mental illness that remains shrouded in mystery. Perhaps one of the reasons that it’s difficult to decipher the root cause is that the experience is different for each individual.

Still, two recent studies attempt to shed some light on potential causes and consequences of postpartum depression.

One study says that “40 percent of women who report being depressed after the birth of their child also are the victims of partner abuse.” We can’t neglect the other factors that may be contributing to depression, such as “history of depression, poor partner relationships, stressful life events/social health issues, low social support, and low income,” but these findings suggest that, however loose, there’s some connection to domestic violence and postpartum depression.

But this doesn’t mean we should assume everyone who experiences it, whether it’s a mild case of baby blues, diagnosed depression or episodes of psychosis, is in an abusive relationship. It’s just one more factor that doctors should look at when assessing a postpartum case.

Another study tells us that acute postpartum symptoms, like postnatal psychiatric episodes, may reveal a deeper mental illness. Specifically, researchers are making a connection between postpartum depression and bipolar disorder, which “most often manifests in early adulthood.” Severe postpartum depression could be a symptom (or trigger) of latent bipolar disorder.

Can we draw any real conclusions from these studies, though?

Both seem to say that postpartum may be tied up with other physical, social or economic factors. Also, health professionals should never jump to conclusions when diagnosing postpartum. It may be easy to prescribe anti-depressants, but if there’s recurring abuse or the patient actually has bipolar disorder, drugs may be ineffective. Anti-depressants could in fact intensify existing symptoms of depression.

Amid all these hypotheses, which we may believe to be valuable or not, it remains important to keep up the conversation about postpartum depression in order to best help women experiencing it.

Contact the author here: tinybart@morningquickie.com