Postpartum depressive symptoms linked to nearly threefold rise in infant deaths

An analysis of 414,890 singleton births in New Jersey between 2016 and 2020 revealed that postpartum depressive symptoms are associated with a markedly higher chance of infant death before the first birthday. Using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, researchers classified scores of 10 or above as indicative of depression; infants of these mothers experienced a mortality rate of 7.2 per 1,000 births compared with 2.0 per 1,000 for infants of mothers without symptoms.

Adjusted models that accounted for maternal age, race, education, insurance status and infant characteristics produced an adjusted relative risk of 2.89. The heightened risk was consistent across demographic groups and remained significant for preterm and full-term infants alike, affecting deaths linked to prematurity, perinatal conditions, congenital abnormalities and sudden infant death syndrome. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, underscores the need for better screening and support for perinatal mental health.