Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common occurrence among women who have just given birth. It has serious consequences for both the woman herself, and her family. PPD can have short term impacts, which can include feeling depressed, having difficulty performing normal tasks at home or work, and loss of interest in her new baby. It can also have long-term impacts, particularly for the children of women who are experiencing PPD. Research suggests that PPD and other mental health disorders affecting women who have just given birth can have serious economic implications, potentially costing up to £8.1 billion annually if the impacts on the children are considered (Bauer et al., 2014).
Recent research (Netsi et al, 2018) assessed long-term outcomes for mothers and offspring related to PPD using the ALSPAC data and found that severe PPD that persists past 8 months after birth is associated with an increased risk of negative outcomes for children on a large number of measures. We aim to build on their findings by evaluating whether early PPD (defined as PPD that occurs at the end of pregnancy and through 2 months following birth but which may resolve before the 8 month mark) similarly impacts long-term outcomes for women who have just given birth, their partners, and their children. We hope to track the impact of PPD on the likelihood of later depression for parents and children, as well as behavioral problems, antisocial behavior, psychosocial disorders, and academic achievement for children. We will use multivariate modeling techniques to account for factors that may confound the association.