study finds partner violence associated with postnatal depression

The finding has major implications for clinical practice, with the current health guidelines suggesting women should be screened for postnatal depression in the first three months after birth- meaning many women who develop depression after six months will be missed.

The study looked at over 1300 women who had given birth to their first child. It found that one in six women reported intimate partner violence in the year after having their first baby. Emotional violence was more common than physical violence - 14 per cent versus eight per cent.

Sixteen per cent of women reported depressive symptoms in the 12 months postpartum, with most women first reporting depressive symptoms in the second six months after birth.

Factors associated with postpartum depressive symptoms include: emotional abuse alone, physical abuse, depression in pregnancy and unemployment in early pregnancy.

Co-lead researcher, Dr Hannah Woolhouse, from Murdoch Childrens Research Institute said; "our findings indicate that intimate partner violence is very common among women reporting postnatal depressive symptoms, and may be an important factor for health professionals to consider in managing postnatal distress."   

"In both the UK and Australia, universal screening for depressive symptoms in the first few months after childbirth is now recommended as part of routine perinatal care. However we found that most of the women reporting postnatal depressive symptoms first reported this at six months postpartum or later."  

"Health professionals should regularly enquire about a woman's mental health in the 12 months after birth, rather than at one specific time point, so women who develop depressive symptoms later after the birth are not missed."