Postpartum Depression in an Online Community of Lesbian Mothers: Implications for Clinical Practice

Abstract

A growing number of lesbians are choosing to conceive and raise children. Online communities for lesbian mothers are increasingly popular and discussion forums specific to postpartum depression (PPD) are emerging. Online ethnography (netnography) and content analysis were employed to assess the role of an online forum in PPD and to investigate how the shared experiences of lesbian birth mothers with PPD might inform clinical practice. Disclosure, coping, treatment-seeking, medications, perseverance, and comorbid conditions emerged as themes that characterize online messages and participant experiences. Findings have implications for assessing risks of PPD and for increasing help-seeking behavior among lesbian mothers.

KEYWORDS:

• postpartum depression
• lesbian parenting
• online forums
• social support