postpartum depression

After giving birth there are huge hormonal changes and also the challenges
of dealing with an infant. Almost 2 thirds of women feel sad because of
these changes. Out of these new mothers between 10 and 15% become clinically
depressed and about 1 in 1000 become so seriously depressed that they have
to be hospitalized to prevent them harming themselves or their child.

 

There are no clear boundaries between the different types of depression and
professional judgement is needed in order to know when normal grief or and
adjustment disorder have developed into serious depression.