Psychosocial influences in postnatal depression.

Changes in moods, behaviours and physical states following the birth of a baby are well known and generally accepted as common, expected and short-lived. It is also recognised that a number of women are severely affected postnatally by a psychotic illness that may require lengthy hospitalisation and treatment. Between these two extremes is the profoundly disturbing experience of postnatal depression of non-psychotic origin that may persist for many months, seriously disrupting the mother-baby and marital and family relationships. The extent and characteristics of PND are receiving attention from health care professionals who have been largely unaware of the problem and are poorly prepared to respond. Although many early reports support biological theories of this problematic disorder, recent studies have begun to examine psychosocial sources of strain. This paper, through drawing together evidence from stress research and maternal and infant development, presents a multifactorial model to describe postnatal depression.