Examining the Association Between Infertility, Pregnancy Intention, and Postpartum Depression

Abstract

While much research has studied postpartum depression (PPD), few studies have examined PPD in women who become pregnant through the use of fertility treatments. The process of experiencing infertility and its treatment may alter the risk of developing PPD. We utilized data from The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS; unweighted N=145,036) to compare PPD symptomatology between women who had unintended pregnancies (an at-risk group for PPD), women who conceived naturally/intentionally, and women who conceived using fertility services. We show that women who used fertility treatments did not differ from women who conceived naturally in regards to PPD. The women who utilized fertility enhancing drugs in comparison to insemination or assisted reproductive technologies had higher depressive symptoms. Therefore, our results suggest that the type of fertility treatment utilized may be important for clinicians to consider when working with these women as they transition into the postpartum period.