Parents are at highest risk for developing depression in the first year after the birth of their child.
Parents are at highest risk for developing depression in the first year after the birth of their child.
There is a well-established link between depression and social and economic deprivation both in the general population and among parents. To examine the association between parental depression and primary care from 0 to 12 years of child age, researchers examined 86,957 families in United Kingdom.
It was found that more than one-third of mothers and about one-fifth of fathers had an episode of depression between their child's birth and their 12th birthday - 19,286 mothers had a total of 25,176 episodes of depression and 8,012 fathers had a total of 9,683 episodes of depression. Overall, the depression rates were 7.53 per 100 mothers and 2.69 per 100 fathers per year. But the rates during the first year after the birth of a child were 13.93 per 100 mothers and 3.56 per 100 fathers.
Younger parents may be less prepared for parenthood with more unplanned pregnancies and may be less able to deal with the stress of parenthood compared with older parents.
The study suggests that parents are at highest risk for depression in the first year after the birth of their child. Parents with a history of depression, younger parents, and those from deprived areas are particularly vulnerable to depression.
There is a well-established link between depression and social and economic deprivation both in the general population and among parents. To examine the association between parental depression and primary care from 0 to 12 years of child age, researchers examined 86,957 families in United Kingdom.
It was found that more than one-third of mothers and about one-fifth of fathers had an episode of depression between their child's birth and their 12th birthday - 19,286 mothers had a total of 25,176 episodes of depression and 8,012 fathers had a total of 9,683 episodes of depression. Overall, the depression rates were 7.53 per 100 mothers and 2.69 per 100 fathers per year. But the rates during the first year after the birth of a child were 13.93 per 100 mothers and 3.56 per 100 fathers.
Younger parents may be less prepared for parenthood with more unplanned pregnancies and may be less able to deal with the stress of parenthood compared with older parents.
The study suggests that parents are at highest risk for depression in the first year after the birth of their child. Parents with a history of depression, younger parents, and those from deprived areas are particularly vulnerable to depression.
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