What the research shows
The research team analyzed the records of nearly one million women registered in Sweden’s national medical register from 2001 to 2017, and found that 86,551 women with perinatal depression and They compared 865,510 women who did not suffer from periodontal depression. Groups were matched by age and year of birth.
In two studies, researchers found that depression that begins during or shortly after pregnancy can have alarming effects for as long as 18 years.
In one study, Published in JAMA Network Open on Tuesday, found that women with perinatal depression had three times the risk of suicidal behavior, defined as attempted or completed suicide. The risk was highest in the year after diagnosis and decreased over time, but even after several years the risk was still twice as high as in women without the disorder.
In another study, Published in BMJ on Wednesday, found that women with perinatal depression were more than six times more likely to die by suicide than women without the diagnosis. Although the number of suicides was low, suicide accounted for the majority of deaths among women diagnosed with perinatal depression. That group accounted for 149 of the 522 deaths, or 28.5 percent. Among women without perinatal depression, 117 of the 1,568 deaths were suicides, or 7.5%.
Suicide was the main reason women with perinatal depression were twice as likely to die from any cause during the 18-year study period compared to women without the disease.
Researchers also compared more than 20,000 women with perinatal depression to their biological sisters who gave birth at the same time but did not have the disorder. Sisters with perinatal depression had nearly three times the risk of suicidal behavior than sisters without a diagnosis. This is about the same as the difference between women with perinatal depression and unrelated women without the disease. This suggests that depression plays a larger role in these outcomes than genetics or childhood environment, the researchers wrote.
what’s behind the numbers
The average age of women who experienced perinatal depression was 31 years. They were more likely than those without the disease to live alone, have low income, have low education, have recently smoked, and have never given birth. researchers reported.
They were also more likely to have had a previous history of mental illness or suicidal behavior. But the study found that perinatal depression increases the risk of suicidal behavior and death, regardless of whether a woman has other mental health problems. This suggests that pregnancy-related depression may be different and more severe than other mental health disorders.
“This highlights the urgent need for careful clinical monitoring and prompt intervention in this vulnerable population to prevent such devastating outcomes, regardless of pre-pregnancy history of mental illness.” The JAMA Open Network study concluded.
There may be differences in the experiences of women who develop depression during pregnancy (just over half of the study participants) and women who develop postpartum depression within the first year after giving birth. Researchers found that women with postpartum depression were at increased risk of suicidal behavior and death, but it was unclear why.
The data did not find that pregnancy complications, newborn birth weight or gestational age influenced maternal suicidal behavior.
What more to learn
Estimated to affect perinatal depression 10-20% of women It remains understudied, undertreated, and probably underdiagnosed during or immediately after pregnancy. Some reports suggest the disorder has become more common during the coronavirus pandemic due to social isolation and reduced access to care.
New research sheds some light on the effects of perinatal depression, but many questions remain. For example, researchers said they were unable to capture factors such as domestic violence or alcohol use. And the study may not be representative of the experience of other countries, for example because most enrolled women in Sweden are white and Sweden is relatively well-off with universal health care.
The role of treatment and therapy is still not fully understood. The study classified women as having perinatal depression if their doctor diagnosed them or if they filled a prescription for an antidepressant during or one year after pregnancy and indicated they had received any treatment. . For those who do not receive treatment or therapy, the impact can be even greater.
If you are thinking of suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or visit the link below. SpeakerOfSuicide.com/Resources For a list of additional resources, go here For resources outside the United States.