Women with postpartum depressive symptoms are at increased risk for postpartum depression and require further evaluation to determine whether they meet the criteria for having a depressive disorder.15 Postpartum depression is associated with lower rates of breastfeeding initiation, poorer mother-infant bonding, and increased likelihood of infants exhibiting developmental delays.16 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists strongly encourages providers to screen for depression among pregnant and postpartum women,17 and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that routine screening for maternal postpartum depression be integrated into well-child visits.18 Women with current depression or a history of major depression require particularly close monitoring and evaluation. If left untreated, postpartum depression can adversely affect the health of the mother and can cause sleeping, eating and behavioral problems for the infant; when treated and administered effectively, both maternal and child benefits.18
Figure 10: Prevalence of self-reported postpartum depressive symptoms among women with a recent live birth by race and Hispanic origin, age, and household poverty status, 2021
NOTE: AI/AN = Native American or Alaskan; NH = non-Hispanic origin; NHOPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Self-reported postpartum depressive symptoms are ascertained by categorizing five responses (“always”, “often”, “sometimes”, “rarely” and “never”) from the following two questions adapted from the validated Patient Health Questionnaire-2 screening instrument: 1) “Since your new baby was born, how often have you felt down, depressed?” and 2) “Since your new baby was born, how often have you had little interest or pleasure in doing things?” Women who answer “always” or “often” to both questions are classified as having postpartum depressive symptoms. Women classified as not having symptoms must answer “sometimes”, “rarely” or “never” to both questions. Race and Hispanic origin refers to the mother’s race and Hispanic origin. The 1997 U.S. Office of Management and Budget data on race and ethnicity were used to classify people into one of the following five racial groups: White, Black or African American, Asian, Native American or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. All categories are single races. Data on race and Hispanic origin are collected and reported separately. People of Hispanic origin can be of any race. Household poverty status is based on a federal poverty level definition that incorporates information on family income, size, and composition and is calculated as a percentage of the US Census Bureau’s federal poverty thresholds.
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS); Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Pregnancy Assessment Survey (OPAS); California Department of Public Health, Maternal and Infant Health Assessment (MIHA).
- In 2021, 13.3% of women with a recent live birth self-reported having postpartum depressive symptoms.
- In 2021, Asian non-Hispanic women (19.1%) and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander non-Hispanic women (24.2%) experienced The lowest rates were reported by Hispanic and white, non-Hispanic women (11.9% and 12.2%, respectively).
- In 2021, women aged 19 and under experienced more than twice as many postpartum depressive symptoms compared to women aged 35 and over (20.4% vs 10.1%).
- In 2021, women below 100% of the federal poverty level experienced more than twice as many postpartum depressive symptoms compared to women at 400% of the federal poverty level and above (18.3% vs. 7.9%).
