Synopsis

Postnatal depression is a debilitating mental health disorder affecting approximately 15% of mothers in the 12 months after delivery. Previous research has established that women who frequently experience premenstrual symptoms are especially vulnerable to developing postnatal depression. It has also been established that low perceived social support in the postpartum is associated with postnatal depression, but it is unclear whether this is the case for women with frequent premenstrual symptoms. To identify a potential prevention/treatment target for these women, this study aims to determine whether low perceived social support in the postpartum is linked to postnatal depression in women with premenstrual symptoms.