Maternal postpartum depressive symptoms linked to nearly triple infant mortality risk
A Rutgers-led study published in JAMA Network Open found that infants born to mothers with postpartum depressive symptoms face nearly triple the risk of mortality before their first birthday. The study analyzed over 414,000 births in New Jersey to establish this correlation.
Why it matters
This highlights a critical public health issue and the need for better maternal mental health screening and support systems.
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Infants born to mothers with depressive symptoms immediately after delivery had a substantially higher risk of dying before their first birthday, according to researchers involved in a Rutgers-led study of more than 414,000 births in New Jersey.
The study , published in JAMA Network Open , linked New Jersey birth records from 2016 through 2020 with infant death records through 2021. Researchers found an infant mortality rate of 7.2 deaths per 1,000 births among infants whose mothers reported depressive symptoms, compared with two deaths per 1,000 births among infants whose mothers didn't report these symptoms.
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