Older women more likely to suffer post-natal depression

Trial and error process of childbirth possible cause for depression 


The older you are when you have your first child, the more likely you will suffer from post-natal depression, say scientists.

Research leader Silje Marie Haga, from the University of Oslo, Norway, explains that older, first-time mothers can be vulnerable to postpartum depression not primarily because of their physical age, but because they are often more accustomed to being in control of their lives. Having a baby requires a mother to be flexible when things do not go as planned, and this can be a distressing factor for women who have established a career before childbirth.

Also, older parents are more likely to “over-prepare” for their first-born, thus increasing the likelihood of disappointment should things go wrong.

In Korea, the average age for first-time mothers reached 30 in 2005, and has steadily risen since. According to Statistics Korea, the number stood at 31.26 in 2010, with mothers over thirty accounting for 62.8% of overall childbirth.


By Sim Guk-by
Intern Reporter

(simgukby@heraldcorp.com)