Postpartum Depression Among Working Women: A Call for Practice and Policy Change

• Depression is a costly modifiable health risk factor for employers.
• Working mothers are a larger part of the US workforce than in previous generations.
• Workplace and parenting stressors place working mothers at greater risk for postpartum depression (PPD).
• Workplace modifications and changes in state and national policies can support working mothers and decrease their risk for developing PPD.

Depression is the most costly health condition for employers. Women are much more likely to be diagnosed with depression, especially during the first year after childbirth. Working mothers are especially vulnerable to workplace stressors because of sleep deprivation, role demands of caring for an infant, and inability to engage in health promotion activities because of competing demands from home and work. Recommendations for changes in workplace practices for employers and working mothers are offered. Changes in nurse practitioner clinical practice and suggestions for policy makers to improve overall mental wellness of working mothers are detailed.