ASSESSMENT OF POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION - A REVIEW OF THE RESEARCH

(1) The postpartum period is a time when many women are vulnerable for the development of a variety of emotional syndromes. One of the probl ems with treating the emotional problems is the difficulty in differen tiating them. For example, there are at least three distinct postpartu m depression disorders: postpartum blues, postpartum psychosis, and po stpartum depression. Each of these syndromes is discussed. A review of the instruments used to test for risk factors for the development of postpartum affective disorders indicates that conceptual muddiness sti ll exists in differentiating the three disorders. The notion of whethe r postpartum depression is a reactive depression to stress or a distin ct syndrome is examined. A suggestion is made to more closely examine the role of culture in the development of affective disorders in the p uerperium.