The effect of postpartum depression on child cognitive development and behavior: A review and critical analysis of the literature

@article{Grace2003TheEO,
  title={The effect of postpartum depression on child cognitive development and behavior: A review and critical analysis of the literature},
  author={Sherry Lynn Grace and Alexandra Evindar and Donna Eileen Stewart},
  journal={Archives of Women’s Mental Health},
  year={2003},
  volume={6},
  pages={263-274}
}
Summary¶The incidence of postpartum depression (PPD) in Western societies is approximately 10–15% and its cause multi-faceted. Because mothers largely constitute infants’ social environment and mediate their experience of the external world, it is imperative to investigate the effects of PPD on child growth and development. PsycInfo, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Health Star databases were searched with key terms for English language abstracts from 1990 onwards, and key contents were… 
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786 Citations

Postpartum Depression is a Family Affair: Addressing the Impact on Mothers, Fathers, and Children

Research on the effects of postpartum depression on mothers, fathers, and children that point to a re-conceptualization of PPD as a mental health condition that affects the whole family are presented.

Post-Partum Depression Effect on Child Health and Development.

PPD, the current depressive symptoms, and depression at both occasions were associated with more health problems in children and childhood developmental disabilities in some domains of ASQ were significantly related to the maternal depression chronicity or recurrence.

Prevention of Postpartum Depression in Low-Income Women: Development of the Mamás y Bebés/Mothers and Babies Course☆

Preventing postpartum depression: review and recommendations

Among biological studies, anti-depressants and nutrients provided the most evidence of successful intervention, and interpersonal therapy trials and trials that targeted an at-risk population appear to hold the most promise for further study.

Effects of postpartum depression on the behaviour of children born to mothers with epilepsy

Does postpartum depression predict emotional and cognitive difficulties in 11 year olds

This paper examines the role of postpartum depression (PPD) on the emotional and cognitive development of 11-year olds, a key stage of transition in child development before entering adolescence. The…

Effects of perinatal mental disorders on the fetus and child

Postnatal depression ? the impact for women and children and interventions to enhance the mother-infant relationship

Motherhood can be both rewarding and fulfilling. However, the stress and daily pressures of raising children impact on wellbeing. The postnatal period can be especially difficult for women already…

Associations between postnatal maternal depression and psychological outcomes in adolescent offspring: a systematic review

It was concluded that PND possibly increases risk vulnerability in the presence of recurrent, concurrent, and antenatal maternal depression but that these latter factors alone may be the stronger specific predictors.

Effects of maternal postpartum depression in a well-resourced sample: Early concurrent and long-term effects on infant cognitive, language, and motor development.

It was found that maternal postpartum depression was associated with poorer cognitive development at infant age four months, the effect size being large (Cohen's d = 0.8) and with similar effects for boys and girls.
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References

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It is concluded that maternal depression per se has negligible effects on children's cognitive development and long-term effects may be found when maternal depression is chronic, the child is a boy and neonatal risk-born, or the family suffers other social risks.

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The impact of postnatal depression on boys' intellectual development.

Boys of mothers depressed in the first year postpartum scored approximately 1 standard deviation lower on standardised tests of intellectual attainment than boys whose mothers were well that year.

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It is suggested that, while maternal behaviour varies with changing circumstances, exposure to maternal depression in the early postpartum months may have an enduring influence on child psychological adjustment.