Pregnant women who fear childbirth are at an increased risk of postpartum depression, it has been revealed.
According to a study of over 500,000 mothers in Finland, fear of childbirth during pregnancy was discovered to nearly triple the risk of postpartum depression.
This new observation may help health care professionals in recognizing postpartum depression, which can have severe consequences for the mother, as well as the child and may impair the development of an attachment relationship.
Other risk factors included Caesarean section, pre-term birth and major congenital anomaly.
The results were published recently in BMJ Open.
