Abstract

At least one in ten women experiences depression in the weeks or months after the birth of a baby. While many recover spontaneously within a few months, one-third to one-half still have features of depression 6 months after delivery, and some go on to develop a chronic or recurrent mood disorder.1^,2 Depression in the early postnatal months can have important effects on the mother and her baby, and on other family relationships.3 Here, we discuss the management of postnatal depression, concentrating on the treatment of women with non-psychotic illness.