Postpartum depression can occur in any woman after giving birth, or having a miscarriage or stillbirth. According to the American Psychological Association, an estimated 9% to 16% of women will experience postpartum depression.
PPD can sometimes be confused with the “baby blues” which affects up to 80% of mothers. Baby blues can cause women to experience feelings of worry, unhappiness or fatigue after having a baby. The difference is that these feelings are mild, usually only last a couple of weeks and go away on their own. PPD can cause extreme feelings of anxiety or sadness and can interfere with a woman’s ability to care for herself or her new baby. PPD can begin any time after childbirth, but women usually start feeling depressed one week to a month after delivery. For some women PPD can start slowly and then build for three to four months.
