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A new study shows that rates of postpartum depression have more than doubled in a little over a decade among American women. The study was published in the journal JAMA Network Open. A team of researchers from Kaiser Permanente Southern California says that while about 1 in every 10 new moms (9.4%) suffered postpartum depression in 2010, the number rose to almost 1 in every 5 (19%) by 2021.

The researchers also say that the rising rates of obesity during pregnancy could also be a factor since obesity has long been known to be a risk factor for postpartum depression.

Dr Darios Getahun, a Kaiser researcher based in Pasadena, California and lead researcher said whatever the reasons, “the prevalence of postpartum depression is high and rising.”

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a complex, intense, and often misunderstood condition affecting new mothers following childbirth. It presents as a deeper, more persistent state of sadness, anxiety, or despair that can severely impact a mother’s ability to care for herself and her newborn. There are several causes of the problem which include hormonal changes, psychological adjustment to motherhood, and lifestyle factors.

The researchers in the report write that “in severe cases, postpartum depression can lead to suicide or infanticide.”

In their new analysis, the researchers tracked rates of postpartum depression for more than 442,000 California pregnancies between 2010 and 2021. The cohort of women was diverse and averaged 31 years of age at childbirth, according to a report in U.S.News.

The researchers found that postpartum depression rates doubled during the study period. Much of that might be linked to better awareness of the issue among women and their doctors, the researchers said.

Getahun’s team pointed to newly established guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists which have both encouraged postpartum depression screening as part of well-child visits. The AAP now advises screening for postpartum depression at well-child visits when a baby reaches 1-to-2, 4, and 6 months of age.

The study says that by 2021, rates of postpartum depression had risen to 17% among new moms of normal weight, 19.8% among mothers deemed overweight, 21.2% among women at lower levels of obesity, and 24.2% among women with more severe obesity.

This suggests that obesity could be playing a role.

The team said that an uptick in postpartum depression rates has been happening alongside ‘a parallel increase’ in obesity rates among pregnant U.S. women over the past decade. According to Getahun’s team, prior research has shown “consistently higher rates” of postpartum depression at higher body weights.

The team said that all the new findings “provide valuable insights for guiding future public health initiatives aimed at improving perinatal maternal health outcomes and promoting maternal and child well-being.”

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