Major Depressive Disorder in New parents

Key things to know What the evidence shows
How common is it? Not established as one combined population
Is it more common among new parents? Higher particularly in postpartum period
Are new parents at higher risk? Yes
How much higher is the risk? Depends on mother/father and postpartum timing
How often can it be missed? High; may be attributed to sleep deprivation/new-parent stress
Does it show up differently among new parents? Somewhat
How might it look different? Sleep disruption, exhaustion, guilt, reduced functioning
What commonly occurs alongside it? Anxiety; insomnia
What can it be confused with? Sleep deprivation; adjustment disorder; perinatal disorders
Common screening tool PHQ-9
Separate screening tool for new parents EPDS where perinatal/postpartum
1 of 14