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. 2021 Aug;45(4):338-343.
doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.13099. Epub 2021 Apr 5.

More to lose? Longitudinal evidence that women whose social support declines following childbirth are at increased risk of depression

Magen Seymour-Smith  1 , Tegan Cruwys  1   2 , S Alexander Haslam  1
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Free article

More to lose? Longitudinal evidence that women whose social support declines following childbirth are at increased risk of depression

Magen Seymour-Smith et al. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2021 Aug.
Free article

Abstract

Objective: We examined the dynamic relationship between life changes (pregnancy and childbirth) and social support during the postpartum period.

Methods: A large, nationally representative sample of Australian women (N=806) who completed the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey (HILDA) in the year immediately before and immediately after giving birth to a child reported on measures of perceived social support and mental health.

Results: Analyses indicated a decrease in both social support and mental health after having a baby. Social support during the postpartum period - controlling for social support and mental health prior to the birth of a baby - predicted better mental health in women. However, for women who experienced a decline in social support, prenatal social support was a risk factor for a decline in mental wellbeing rather than a protective factor.

Conclusions: Women who have 'more to lose' are at increased risk of mental ill-health if they cannot maintain existing sources of social support. Implications for public health: Loss of social support during pregnancy and the postpartum period should be considered as a significant risk factor for postpartum depression in its own right and one that warrants screening and intervention.

Keywords: maternal health; postpartum depression; social support.

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