Postnatal depression can have a serious influence on family life and the development of the baby. Risk factors include a poor relationship with the partner and mood changes in the first postpartum week. A small survey of postnatally depressed women showed that 80% had not sought or received any medical help.
In Search of a Global Distress Measurement Instrument for Perinatal Use: Testing Depression Anxiety Stress Scales Short Forms with Swedish Pregnant and Postpartum Women
Kerstis, B., Jönsson, P., Taylor, A., Nilsson, K. W., Hofvander, B., Rurbertsson, C. & Lindeberg, S. (2026). In search of a global distress measurement instrument for perinatal use: Testing depression anxiety stress scales short forms with Swedish pregnant and postpartum women. Healthcare, 14(12), 1636 URL