THE IMPACT OF POSTNATAL DEPRESSION ON BOYS INTELLECTUAL-DEVELOPMENT

A follow-up study was carried out to investigate the children of 204 m others who had previously participated in a study of their mental heal th during pregnancy and the first postnatal year. One hundred and seve nty two children, 170 mothers, and 99 fathers were assessed when the c hildren were 3 years 10 months. Boys of mothers depressed in the first year postpartum scored approximately 1 standard deviation lower on st andardised tests of intellectual attainment than boys whose mothers we re well that year. The difference was reliable even when behaviour dur ing the test was controlled for, and general behavioural problems, bir th weight, parental IQ measures of the family climate and home environ ment, mother-child interaction, and breast-feeding during infancy were taken into account.