ABSTRACT
Pregnancy and early parenthood are oftentimes of particular emotional upheaval in a family’s life, irrespective of the presence of formal mental illness. Childhood memories resurface, couple dynamics are altered, and the extended family is often involved, for better or for worse.2,3 Add to this the presence of a formal mental illness, and the stress can be unmanageable. As will be emphasized throughout this book, about one in ten mothers develops depression before or after childbirth and around a third of these require formal treatment services. In addition, of every 1000 new mothers, 20-40 will have moderate to severe enduring mental health problems. Maternal depression is a risk factor for a range of later childhood problems4-6 and when it occurs in the immediate postnatal period it is associated with delayed cognitive development and insecure attachment in later years, especially in boys.5,7 The link between early maternal depression and later childhood problems may be mediated by insecure attachment, particularly of the disorganized type.8
