Predicting Perinatal Depression

Perinatal depression affects more than 10% of mothers, making it one of the most common complications of pregnancy. To assess the ways in which adolescent depression and anxiety affect women's perinatal mental health, researchers in Australia followed 384 female participants (564 pregnancies) in the Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study from age 14 to 35 years. Perinatal depressive symptoms were assessed by computer-assisted telephone interview of mothers at 32 weeks' gestation, 8 weeks postpartum, and 12 months postpartum.

Most mothers (66%) reported histories of mental health problems at some point during adolescence or young adulthood. Among women with no preconception histories of depression, perinatal depressive symptoms were reporte…