How Long Does Postpartum Depression Last?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSigns and SymptomsHow Long Does PPD Last?When Depression Goes UndiagnosedCoping

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Signs and Symptoms

How Long Does PPD Last?

When Depression Goes Undiagnosed

Coping

Close

Depression experienced during the perinatal period is common, affecting between 10% and 20% of women in the United States.

Postpartum depression, another perinatal mood disorder, is more serious and requires treatment. Postpartum depression is considered a major depressive disorder that usually presents itself within the first eight weeks postpartum, but it can occur anytime within the first year after childbirth.

What is Perinatal Depression?

Depression Signs and Symptoms

The following are some symptoms that are often present in clinical depression—postpartumor otherwise:

Additonal Symptoms Present in PPD

If you’re experiencing postpartum depression or another perinatal mood or anxiety disorder, you shouldn’t suffer alone. Please speak with your doctor or even your child’s doctor during well-child visits to let them know how you’re feeling.

What Is Deep Brain Stimulation?

Your doctor can diagnose postpartum depression as early as 10 to 14 days after giving birth, saysEmma Basch, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist. At that time, if you are still experiencing mood symptoms on most days, and if those symptoms are impacting your functioning, then your doctor can diagnose postpartum depression.

The sooner postpartum depression is diagnosed, the better. When dealing with postpartum depression, early intervention is critical for the mother’s mental health and the child’s cognitive development. If the mother’s depression is not treated, it can impact the child’s cognitive development.

How long the depression lasts, however, depends on many factors, including but not limited to: the woman’s mental health history, hormonal changes, psychological or social distress, or life stressors like a traumatic birth experience or life event.

Upon diagnosis and treatment, symptoms can improve quickly. Dr. Basch says you may feel better within weeks of diagnosis. However, this may not be the case for everyone. Mental health treatment requires an individualized approach because everyone’s needs are different. So while your friend may be feeling better two months after their diagnosis, it may take you longer to feel similarly.

If postpartumdepression goes undiagnosed, it can continue for months or years, long past the one-year postpartum period.

A 2020 study of more than 4,500 women found that 5% of those studied reported persistently high levels of postpartum depression symptoms for three years after giving birth.These results suggested that women may still need screenings for maternal depression after the postpartum period ends.

“I’ve seen a patient many years after having a child whose depressive symptoms originated postpartum, and they were never treated,” says Dr. Basch. In that case, even although they were out of the postpartum period, their diagnosis would be considered postpartum depression.

The good news is that postpartum depression is highly treatable, and the length of a postpartum depressive episode is shortened with prompt treatment, Dr. Basch explains.

Emma Basch, PsyDIf a patient is at risk for developing postpartum depression, engaging in preventative care can shorten or even eliminate the development of postpartum depression symptoms.

Emma Basch, PsyD

If a patient is at risk for developing postpartum depression, engaging in preventative care can shorten or even eliminate the development of postpartum depression symptoms.

As of August 4, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved Zuranolone as the first oral treatment for postpartum depression. Zuranolone is a once-a-day medication for postpartum depression taken over two weeks.

How Long Does Postpartum Depression Last?

Managing Postpartum Depression

In addition to getting treatment, you can work onimproving your sleep, eating nutritious meals, scheduling time for activities you enjoy, andasking for helpfrom loved ones or community members. There are also support groups for parents experiencing postpartum depression.

Taking care of your health and mental health is critical, especially as a parent. The best thing you can do during this time is to give yourself grace.

If your postpartum depression is worsening, even with treatment, or if you’re experiencing thoughts of suicide or thoughts of harming your child, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If your postpartum depression is worsening, even with treatment, or if you’re experiencing thoughts of suicide or thoughts of harming your child, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

What to Know About Postpartum Depression (PPD)

6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Niel MSV, Payne JL.Perinatal depression: A review.CCJM. 2020;87(5):273-277.Batt MM, Duffy KA, Novick AM, Metcalf CA, Epperson CN.Is postpartum depression different from depression occurring outside of the perinatal period? A review of the evidence.FOC. 2020;18(2):106-119.Nimh » perinatal depression.Hahn L, Eickhoff SB, Habel U, et al.Early identification of postpartum depression using demographic, clinical, and digital phenotyping.Translational Psychiatry. 2021;11(1):1-10.Putnick DL, Sundaram R, Bell EM, et al.Trajectories of Maternal Postpartum Depressive Symptoms.Pediatrics. 2020;146(5):e20200857. doi:10.1542/peds.2020-0857U.S. Food & Drug Administration.FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression.

6 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Niel MSV, Payne JL.Perinatal depression: A review.CCJM. 2020;87(5):273-277.Batt MM, Duffy KA, Novick AM, Metcalf CA, Epperson CN.Is postpartum depression different from depression occurring outside of the perinatal period? A review of the evidence.FOC. 2020;18(2):106-119.Nimh » perinatal depression.Hahn L, Eickhoff SB, Habel U, et al.Early identification of postpartum depression using demographic, clinical, and digital phenotyping.Translational Psychiatry. 2021;11(1):1-10.Putnick DL, Sundaram R, Bell EM, et al.Trajectories of Maternal Postpartum Depressive Symptoms.Pediatrics. 2020;146(5):e20200857. doi:10.1542/peds.2020-0857U.S. Food & Drug Administration.FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Niel MSV, Payne JL.Perinatal depression: A review.CCJM. 2020;87(5):273-277.Batt MM, Duffy KA, Novick AM, Metcalf CA, Epperson CN.Is postpartum depression different from depression occurring outside of the perinatal period? A review of the evidence.FOC. 2020;18(2):106-119.Nimh » perinatal depression.Hahn L, Eickhoff SB, Habel U, et al.Early identification of postpartum depression using demographic, clinical, and digital phenotyping.Translational Psychiatry. 2021;11(1):1-10.Putnick DL, Sundaram R, Bell EM, et al.Trajectories of Maternal Postpartum Depressive Symptoms.Pediatrics. 2020;146(5):e20200857. doi:10.1542/peds.2020-0857U.S. Food & Drug Administration.FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression.

Niel MSV, Payne JL.Perinatal depression: A review.CCJM. 2020;87(5):273-277.

Batt MM, Duffy KA, Novick AM, Metcalf CA, Epperson CN.Is postpartum depression different from depression occurring outside of the perinatal period? A review of the evidence.FOC. 2020;18(2):106-119.

Nimh » perinatal depression.

Hahn L, Eickhoff SB, Habel U, et al.Early identification of postpartum depression using demographic, clinical, and digital phenotyping.Translational Psychiatry. 2021;11(1):1-10.

Putnick DL, Sundaram R, Bell EM, et al.Trajectories of Maternal Postpartum Depressive Symptoms.Pediatrics. 2020;146(5):e20200857. doi:10.1542/peds.2020-0857

U.S. Food & Drug Administration.FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression.

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?