* Most women after birth experience some period of depression. If the depression occurs longer than two weeks and affects everyday life (ability to function) then it is diagnosed as postpartum depression (PPD).
* After birth, 1 out of ten women experience PPD (Brizendine, 2006).
* PPD is poorly understood and an underdiagnosed disorder (Legato, 2005).
* "In the first weeks after delivery, estrogen levels drop suddenly, and since estrogen regulates neurotransmitter mechanisms in the brain, it may cause a sudden decline in those that regulate mood. (This is unquestionably exacerbated by the sleeplessness and general confusion that also distinguishes this time)" (Legato, 2005, p. 184).
* "While postpartum depression can strike anyone, there's a greater likelihood that you'll experience it if you have a history of depression. About 33 percent of all women with postpartum depression have had similar episodes before pregnancy, as well as a family history of the disorder" (Legato, 2005, p. 184).
* "Women suffering from PPD are thought to have an increased genetic susceptibility to becoming depressed as a result of hormone changes" (Brizendine, 2006, p. 181).
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