Objective: There is limited research on fathers in the setting of maternal teenage pregnancy. Most studies report data from regions of social disadvantage and low education. We report on the levels of anxiety, depression and quality of life of fathers in the setting of maternal teenage pregnancy in an area where the unemployment rate is low. Methods: Observational study of 50 fathers in the set...

Over the past decade, maternal antidepressant use has skyrocketed in the United States. Maternal depression, which was once categorized as an extremely rare condition, is now the leading cause of disability in American women aged 18 to 44 (Stewart, 2005). In spite of the published data that document the risks associated with antidepressant use in maternal and pediatric populations, physicians t...

Depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period is a growing health problem, which affects up to 20% of women. Currently, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs) medications are commonly used for treatment of maternal depression. Unfortunately, there is very little research on the long-term effect of maternal depression and perinatal SSRI exposure on offspring development. Therefor...

BACKGROUND Numerous studies have supported an association between maternal depression and child psychiatric outcomes, but few have controlled for the confounding effects of both maternal and offspring co-morbidity. Thus, it remains unclear whether the correspondence between maternal and offspring depressive and anxiety disorders is better explained by associations between shared features of mat...

The risk of continuing depression in mothers of very premature infants after discharge has not been studied in any depth. This study compared reports of maternal depressive symptomatology at one month after infant birth (Phase 1) and three months following infant hospital discharge (Phase 2). Fifty-two mothers completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at these two points in time. Resul...

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common complication of childbearing, and has increasingly been identified as a major public health problem. Untreated maternal depression has multiple potential negative effects on maternal-infant attachment and child development. Screening for depression in the perinatal period is feasible in multiple primary care or obstetric settings, and can help identify de...

Often undetected and poorly managed, maternal depression and child adjustment problems are common health problems and impose significant burden to society. Studies show evidence of mutual influences on maternal and child functioning, whereby depression in mothers increases risk of emotional and behavioral problems in children and vice versa. Biological mechanisms (genetics, in utero environment...