Postpartum Depression Hits Moms in Urban Areas the Hardest

A new study shows that over 500,000 women living in urban areas are more likely to develop postpartum depression than women living elsewhere.

Many new moms experience what the Mayo Clinic refers to as the "baby blues" following childbirth, which can commonly affect a woman's mood swings and crying spells but fades quickly after. Yet some new mothers experience a more severe, long-lasting form of depression known as postpartum depression. It's rarely so extreme but the medical organization notes that it can happen in some cases and should never be considered a sign of weakness on the mother's behalf.

To better understand this influence in urban areas, researchers examined data for 6,421 women living in rural, semirural, semi-urban or urban areas who had participated in the 2006 Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey. According to the authors of the study, they defined rural as people living in settlements smaller than 1000 people or with 400 or more inhabitants per square kilometer;  semirural (under 30 000), semi-urban (30,000-499,999) and urban (500 000 and over). They also looked at whether residents commuted to larger urban centers from their homes.

Study results showed that approximately 7.5 percent of participants suffered from postpartum depression. Women in urban areas in particular were at the highest risk, with almost 10 percent of women reporting that they had experienced postpartum depression compared to 6 percent of women in rural areas, 7 percent of women in semirural areas and 5 percent of women in semi-urban areas.

The study also showed that urban areas had higher numbers of immigrant populations and most women reported lower levels of social report before and after pregnancy.

"Supports and services targeted toward increasing connections for isolated women in large urban centers may need to be increased in Canada," researchers concluded, via the study. "Considering the substantial negative effect of postpartum depression, such interventions could have broad-reaching social and public health impact."

More information regarding the study can be found in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.