Research on Psychosocial Factors and Postpartum Depression: A Critique

Postpartum depression appears to be related to major stress during pregnancy, birth, or early infant care. A depressive attributional style has also been implicated. However, research on psychosocial factors in postpartum depression suffers from differing definitions and measurements of depression, and samples not comparable as to parity, marital and socioeconomic status, and other important variables. None of the studies assessed changes in psychosocial factors over the course of pregnancy and puerperium, and none has included comparisons with women who do not suffer postpartum depression.