Postnatal Depression Beyond 12 Months: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Elsie Hellyer, Katrina Nash, Ellie Jones and 5 others
PMID 40055815WHAT IT FOUND
Depression rates did not differ between the first and second postpartum years: 16% then 15%, and 19% beyond 24 months.
This suggests postnatal depression can continue or begin later.
Key findings
01Across 32 included studies with 57 210 participants, pooled prevalence of postnatal depression was 15% in the second postpartum year and was not significantly different from 16% in the first year.
02Prevalence remained 19% beyond 24 months, but the range across studies was wide.
03Most included studies used screening tools rather than clinical diagnosis, so the estimate may overstate how many women need specialist care.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The pooled estimates varied widely across studies, so the average may not fit every population. Most studies used screening tools rather than clinical diagnosis, so the prevalence may overstate the number of women who need specialist care. Only a few studies separated continued depression from new-onset depression, and only a few examined severity. The review reports prevalence, not whether any treatment works.
Declared interests
Funder named: National Institute for Health and Care Research and NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre. Authors declared NIHR funding to their institutions; academic roles in the Royal College of Psychiatrists and NHS England perinatal psychiatry were also declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the 15% pooled prevalence as a clinical diagnosis rate for all mothers. Most included studies used screening tools, and a positive screen is not the same as clinical depression.