SEASONAL-VARIATION IN THE PREVALENCE OF POSTNATAL DEPRESSION

The seasonal variation of postnatal depression was investigated amongs t mothers and fathers in a sample of 200 couples from the postnatal wa rd of a general hospital maternity unit. There were 28 mothers and 13 fathers who were interview cases of depression according to the RDC cr iteria. Onset of cases amongst mothers showed a significant seasonal v ariation with the largest peak occurring in the Autumn, the implicatio ns are discussed. The pattern of seasonal variation in fathers is desc ribed but there were too few cases to make statistical evaluation mean ingful.