Stephanie Gedzyk-Nieman, assistant professor, wrote "Postpartum and Paternal Postnatal Depression: Identification, Risks, and Resources" in "Nursing Clinics of North America."

Key Points

• Both women and men can develop depression within 12 months of becoming parents, including by means of adoption.
• Although the exact causation of postpartum depression (PPD) in women or postnatal depression (PND) in their partners is unknown, there are several known biological, genetic and psychosocial risk factors.
• Many professional organizations support universal screening for PPD and some support screening for PND, but there is no universally accepted screening timeline or tool.
• Untreated PPD and PND are harmful not only to parents but potentially to their children in numerous ways.
• PPD and PND can be treated with psychosocial, psychological, and/or pharmacologic options.