Does Enhancing Maternal Peer Interactions Decrease Rates of Postpartum Depression?

According to a 2014 Cochrane Review, postpartum depression (PPD) is present in 13% of new mothers by twelve weeks postpartum. Infant feeding, sleep routines, growth, and socioemotional and cognitive development can be adversely affected by maternal PPD. These negative effects can last into childhood. Previous studies have shown that strong social support is protective against PPD. The 2014 Cochrane Review on this topic comments that simple, inexpensive interventions to decrease rates of PPD are needed and that interventions led by lay-people and done in groups may be helpful to decrease rates of PPD. More recent studies focus on interventions for mothers already showing symptoms of postpartum depression, not on preventing these symptoms from developing.

The proposed work is important, because it capitalizes on recommendations for future research from the 2014 Cochrane Review on Psychosocial and Psychological Interventions for Preventing Postpartum Depression. The proposed work is also innovative, because it involves a preventive intervention from lay-people in a group setting, with new moms benefiting from each other. At the completion of this project, it is our expectation that mothers in the intervention group will have sustained decreased rates of PPD.

Inclusion criteria

• Women who deliver at the Hershey Medical Center
• Postpartum women within first week after delivery
• Women who are 18 years of age or older

Exclusion criteria

• Postpartum women who delivered newborn before 35 0/7 gestational age.
• Postpartum women whose newborn required any length of stay in the newborn intensive care unit.
• Postpartum women who do not speak English.
• Postpartum women who are less than 18 years old.
• Postpartum women who are unable to provide consent.
• Postpartum women who were on antidepressant or antianxiety medication or undergoing therapy for depression or anxiety during pregnancy or during postpartum hospitalization.