A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION

虽然科学家们对产后的现象很感兴趣 抑郁症多年来，直到最近才有了细致、系统的研究 一直致力于研究这种疾病。仍然有相当大的 关于产后发病率、病程、先兆和严重程度的争论 抑郁症。此外，几乎没有关于 产后抑郁症对母婴关系发育的影响。 拟议研究的一个目的是确定在多大程度上 怀孕和产褥期的风险比平时高。 女性患抑郁症的可能性。一大批孕妇和一名匹配的 对照组未怀孕的妇女将被跟踪至“怀孕”。 直到“产后六个月”的发病率、流行率和严重程度 产后和非产后妇女的抑郁症将与 确定与怀孕相关的抑郁风险的真实性质 还有产褥期。 抑郁和相关因素将通过访谈进行评估， 自我报告和直接观察。这些因素包括社会 支持、紧张性生活事件的发生、个人和家族史 精神病理学、心理态度和几种荷尔蒙(例如， 皮质醇和黄体酮)被认为与产后有因果关系 抑郁症。这些数据将使我们能够测试关于 心理社会因素和生物因素在脑血管疾病中的重要性 产后抑郁症。 抑郁和非抑郁的母亲将被观察到与 他们的婴儿大约在分娩后三个月。特定的互动 与母亲抑郁相关的风格将通过 仔细的行为分析。 本研究将提供与1)理解有关的信息 产后抑郁症的生物学和心理社会原因，2)发展 早期识别和预防计划，以及3)制定 干预措施，使抑郁母亲能够更有效地互动 带着他们的婴儿。

While there has been scientific interest in the phenomenon of postpartum depression for many years, only recently has careful, systematic research been undertaken to study this disorder. There is still considerable debate about incidence, course, precursors, and severity of postpartum depression. Moreover, virtually no data exist on the effects of postpartum depression on the developing infant-mother relationship. One purpose of the proposed research is to determine the extent to which pregnancy and the puerperium are associated with a higher than usual risk of depression in women. A large sample of pregnant women and a matched control group of non-pregnant women will be followed through "pregnancy" until "six months postpartum." The incidence, prevalence, and severity of depression in puerperal and non-puerperal women will be compared to determine the true nature of risk of depression associated with pregnancy and the puerperium. Depression and related factors will be assessed through interviews, self-report, and direct observation. These factors include social support, occurrence of stressful life events, personal and family history of psychopathology, psychological attitudes, and several hormones (e.g., cortisol and progesterone) thought to be causally related to postpartum depression. These data will permit us to test hypotheses regarding the importance of both psychosocial and biological causal factors in postpartum depression. Depressed and non-depressed mothers will be observed interacting with their infants about three months after delivery. Specific interactional styles associated with depression in the mother will be identified through careful behavioral analysis. This research will provide information relevant 1) to understanding biological and psychosocial causes of postpartum depression, 2) developing early identification and prevention programs, and 3) developing interventions to enable depressed mothers to interact more effectively with their infants.