Medical research suggests that hormonal changes might be the causes of postpartum depression. External changes, such as the stress of parenting and financial difficulties, appear to play a role as well. Genetics and other risk factors also increase the likelihood that a woman will develop postpartum depression. As of 2011, the causes of postpartum depression were not entirely conclusive, but there was a significant correlation between these factors and the condition.
During pregnancy and immediately after delivery, women experience sharp hormonal changes. Hormones affect those areas of the brain that control emotions, including depression. As such, rapid shifts, such as high estrogen and progesterone levels returning to normal soon after childbirth, might be one of the causes of postpartum depression. The thyroid gland's hormones also decrease after childbirth, and studies have shown that low thyroid hormones are associated with depression. In addition, other post-pregnancy bodily changes, such as shifts in blood pressure and metabolism, can contribute to mood disturbances.
Stress also appears to be one of the causes of postpartum depression. New mothers often have demanding schedules, which might include attending to the new baby and other family members, maintaining a romantic relationship and employment. Caring for newborns typically leads to sleep deprivation and increased financial demands. Such stressors can become overwhelming, and research indicates that they increase the chances of developing postpartum depression.
Women who do not carry their pregnancies to term can also suffer from postpartum depression. They experience sharp hormonal and bodily changes during and after pregnancy, just like those women who deliver healthy infants. Stress and pain that results from losing a baby might also lead to postpartum depression.
Some women might be predisposed to developing postpartum depression because of their genetic or emotional makeup. Moreover, women who have already experienced postpartum depression are more likely to suffer from it after subsequent pregnancies. Medical studies have shown a strong correlation between genetics and various types of depression, namely that people who have a family history of depressive disorders are more likely to experience depression. Researchers have yet to determine whether genetics increase the risk of developing postpartum depression specifically.
Although the causes of postpartum depression are not entirely conclusive, what is known is that a combination of risk factors and potential causes is more likely to lead to the condition than single ones. For instance, all women invariably experience hormone shifts during and after pregnancy. Yet those who have a family history of depression and have had postpartum depression before are more at risk than those who experience hormonal shifts only.