Post-partum depression and the mother-infant relationship in a South African peri-urban settlement

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Abstract
Background: Post-partum depression in the developing world has received tittle research attention, and its association with disturbances in the mother–infant relationship is unknown.Aims: To determine the prevalence of post-partum depression and associated disturbances in the mother–infant relationship in Khayelitsha, a South African peri-urban settlement.Method: The mental state of 147 women who had delivered two months previously was assessed, and the quality of their engagement with their infants was determined.Results: The point prevalence of DSM–IV major depression was found to be 34.7%. Maternal depression was associated with poor emotional and practical support from the partner. It was also associated with insensitive engagement with the infants.Conclusions: The rate of post-partum depression in Khayelitsha was around three times that found in British post-partum samples, and these depressions were strongly associated with disturbances in the mother–infant relationship.