Postpartum mood disorders: Results of an online survey

Abstract

Purpose: Postpartum mood disorders (PMDs), the distressing mental and emotional symptoms experienced by women after childbirth, are just now receiving the attention they warrant. Given the serious and sometimes life-threatening nature of PMDs, we used a qualitative research design to examine more closely the nature of symptoms experienced and the effective strategies women used to cope with PMD. Participants: The respondents were 252 members of PMD and breast-feeding (La Leche League) support groups throughout the United States. Method: Participants responded anonymously to open-ended questions in an online survey. The data were reviewed by the research team to determine common themes and prevailing issues. Results: Participants reported myriad different symptoms and used a host of various strategies to alleviate problematic thoughts, feelings, and behaviours following childbirth. Postpartum symptoms affected participants’ plans to have future children. For some women, symptoms became more intense during subsequent births. Despite the problematic nature of PMD, more than half of the participants reported receiving little or no information from healthcare providers about PMDs. Implications for counsellors and other healthcare providers are discussed in detail.

Keywords:

• Postpartum depression
• mood disorders
• psychosis
• obsessive-compulsive disorder