Postpartum depression is linked to a baby’s sex, according to research by England’s University of Kent. In fact, when a woman gives birth to a boy, her chance of developing the mood disorder increases from 71 to 79 percent.
Scientists say there seems to be a clear reason for these happenings. Previous research has linked depression to prolonged inflammation, and when something triggers inflammation, it may highlight depressive risk factors. Inflammatory immune responses occur when tissues are injured by bacteria, trauma, toxins or other causes.
Male fetuses and birth complications are likely to cause inflammation, and when women experience these complications they are more likely to develop postpartum depression. The study found birth complications increased the odds of postpartum depression by 174 percent, compared to having no complications.
“It has been known for some time that pregnant women carrying a male fetus have higher levels of inflammation than women carrying female fetuses,” Dr. Sarah Myers tells the Daily News . “This is what caused us to look into whether there may be a link between infant sex and postnatal depression risk, and although we couldn’t take actual measures of inflammation from the mothers in our study, we think this is the underlying reason.”
For the study, researchers observed 300 women born between 1930 and 1966 who reported details about every birth they had and were assessed on different measures. The findings add to the depression risk factors for doctors to keep an eye on, and hopefully it can help them treat more women who suffer from the mood disorder.
Click here for more information on what postpartum depression is and the warning signs to watch for.
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