One in ten new Aussie mums suffers from post-natal depression

Melbourne, Mar 18 : One in ten new Aussie mums suffers from post-natal depression, finds a new study that involved 2,500 women.

Researchers from the University of Newcastle also found that women who give birth when they are older may be more vulnerable to postpartum depression.

Post-natal depression involves women feeling sad and worthless in the weeks or months following childbirth.

The research, part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health included women aged between 28 and 33 who had given birth in the past four years.

Boffins found that depression, anxiety or traumatic life events were markers that predicted which women would be more likely to suffer from this form of depression.

"Women who had suffered from depression in the 10 years prior to the survey were three times more likely to suffer from post-natal depression, while anxiety was also a strong risk factor," News.com.au quoted public health researcher Catherine Chojenta, as saying.

"Five or more (negative) life events were also predictors of the condition."

She added that new mothers and their doctors needed to recognise risk factors for the condition so that it could be treated at the earliest.

"It is important for new mothers and their general practitioners to recognise risk factors, and to implement early intervention measures, which might include medication, counselling or support mechanisms," she said.

Earlier research has already shown that mothers with post-natal depression run the risk of child neglect, relationship breakdown and possible self-harm.

ANI