Pregnancy and Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders at Alexian Brothers Women's Services

Risk Factors

• Postpartum depression/anxiety after previous birth
• Depression/anxiety in pregnancy
• Family psychiatric history
• Family history of postpartum mood disorders
• Personal history of depression/anxiety unrelated to pregnancy
• Personal or family history of thyroid illness
• Being raised in an alcoholic or dysfunctional family
• Separation from parent during childhood due to death/divorce
• Physical or sexual abuse as a child
• Marital discord
• Isolation from family/friends
• Ambivalence toward maternal role
• Unwanted pregnancy
• Difficult labor (real or perceived by mother)
• Complicated birth - ie. Hemorrhage or birth experience that failed to fulfill expectations
• Unsupported labor (even if 5 people are in the room "watching")
• Delivery of preemie, or compromised baby
• Perinatal death
• Recent death in the family
• Women having their first baby after she is 30 years old
• History of Bipolar illness
• History of drug abuse

Risk Factors For Developing Depression During Pregnancy

• History of major depression
• History of premenstrual dysphoric disorder
• Inadequate social support, especially from absence of partner or conflict with partner
• Current stress
• Bereavement, especially parental loss
• Previous stillbirth