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Clinical presentation of postnatal and non-postnatal depressive episodes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 March 2007

CARLY COOPER ,
LISA JONES ,
EMMA DUNN ,
LIZ FORTY ,
SAYEED HAQUE ,
FEMI OYEBODE ,
NICK CRADDOCK  and
IAN JONES
CARLY COOPER
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Birmingham, UK
LISA JONES
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Birmingham, UK
EMMA DUNN
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Medicine, Henry Welcome Building for Biomedical Research, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
LIZ FORTY
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Medicine, Henry Welcome Building for Biomedical Research, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
SAYEED HAQUE
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Birmingham, UK
FEMI OYEBODE
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Birmingham, UK
NICK CRADDOCK
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Medicine, Henry Welcome Building for Biomedical Research, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
IAN JONES*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Medicine, Henry Welcome Building for Biomedical Research, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr Ian Jones, Department of Psychological Medicine, The Henry Wellcome Building for Biomedical Research in Wales, Academic Avenue, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK. (Email: JonesIR1@cf.ac.uk)
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Abstract

Background

The relationship of postnatal (postpartum) depression (PND) to episodes of depression occurring at other times is not well understood. Despite a number of studies of clinical presentation, there is little consistency in the literature. We have undertaken within- and between-individual comparisons of the clinical presentation of postnatal (PN) and non-postnatal (NPN) depressive episodes in women with recurrent depression.

Method

In a sample of well-characterized, parous women meeting DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria for recurrent major depressive disorder, the clinical presentation of episodes of major depression with onset within 4 weeks of giving birth (PND group, n=50) were compared with (i) the non-postnatal episodes of women with PND, and (ii) episodes of major depression in parous women who had not experienced episodes of mood disorder in relation to childbirth (NPND group, n=132). In addition, the non-postnatal episodes of the PND group of women were compared with the depressive episodes of the NPND group.

Results

The small number of differences found between PN and NPN depressive episodes, such as reduced early morning wakening in postnatal episodes, are likely to be explicable by the context of having a new baby rather than by any difference in the nature of the underlying depression.

Conclusions

The results do not point to substantial differences in clinical presentation between episodes of major depression occurring in relation to childbirth and at other times. Other avenues of research are therefore required to demonstrate a specific relationship between childbirth and depression.

Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 37 , Issue 9 , September 2007 , pp. 1273 - 1280
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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