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Hormonal Changes in the Postpartum and Implications for Postpartum Depression

Received January 24, 1997; revised May 25, 1997; accepted June 6, 1997. From the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital, and West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Los Angeles, California. Address reprint requests to Dr. Hendrick, UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital, 300 Medical Plaza, Suite 1544, Los Angeles, CA 90095–6968.

The months following childbirth are a time of heightened vulnerability to depressive mood changes. Because of the abrupt and dramatic changes occurring in hormone levels after delivery, many studies have examined the role of hormonal factors in postpartum depression. The authors review the literature on potential hormonal etiologies in postpartum depression, in particular for progesterone, estrogen, prolactin, cortisol, oxytocin, thyroid, and vasopressin. While evidence for an etiologic role is lacking for most hormones, changes in certain hormonal axes may contribute to depressive mood changes in some women following childbirth.

Key Words: Depression • Postpartum Depression • Pregnancy • Childbirth • Women • Postpartum • Review • Hormones

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