What is postpartum depression?
Having a baby is a life-changing event, so it’s no surprise that new mothers experience many emotional changes after giving birth.
Postpartum depression is defined as an episode of major depression which is associated with childbirth. It has been estimated that PPD affects nearly 15 to 20% of new mothers. However, it’s very likely that the condition is under-diagnosed and under-treated, which means that postpartum depression statistics might not be accurate. But although postpartum depression has become more widely acknowledged in recent years, there are other variants of this condition that you might not know about.
Delayed postpartum depression, also known as late-onset postpartum depression, can affect women up to 18 months after delivery. It can even appear later than that in some women, depending on the hormonal changes that occur after having a baby.