Influence of Postpartum Depression Among Mothers on Cognitive Development in Children: A Scoping Review

Authors

Navyashree GC, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher EducationFollow
Aabha Jain, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher EducationFollow
Malika Mudit, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher EducationFollow
Manavi Manoj Kumar, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher EducationFollow
Rachna Shetty, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher EducationFollow
Riya Prabhu, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher EducationFollow
Salma Zameer, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher EducationFollow

Designation

Assistant Professor

Abstract

The interplay of maternal care, communication, and emotional expression of parent-child interactions dramatically influences the cognitive and emotional growth of the child during their formative years. Postpartum depression poses a significant public health concern, impacting mothers' caregiving abilities and infants' sensitive early development. The present scoping review aims to explore the literature that delves into the influence of postpartum depression among mothers on the child’s cognitive development. For this scoping review, a systematic search was conducted for studies in the PubMed and Scopus databases. Studies published in the English language from 1990 to 2023 focusing on mothers with postpartum depression having children aged up to 7 years were included. Studies involving assisted pregnancies or co-morbid postpartum psychosis/anxiety were excluded. These searches were conducted in databases such as PubMed and Scopus. The scoping review included eight studies. Five of the studies call attention to the significance of postpartum depression as negatively impacting the cognitive development of children. The other three studies suggest no direct adverse effects, emphasizing the importance of personal components that act as mediators, such as maternal sensitivity, and social components, such as socio-economic status. The findings of this review emphasize the significance of speedily identifying symptoms of postpartum depression in mothers and providing tailored support measures. The present scoping review also emphasizes the importance of addressing the symptoms of depression among mothers throughout early child development, promoting the well-being of both mothers and children.

Recommended Citation

GC, Navyashree; Jain, Aabha; Mudit, Malika; Kumar, Manavi Manoj; Shetty, Rachna; Prabhu, Riya; and Zameer, Salma () "Influence of Postpartum Depression Among Mothers on Cognitive Development in Children: A Scoping Review," Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences: Vol. 11: Iss. 1, .
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55889/2582-7979.1349
Available at: https://impressions.manipal.edu/mjnhs/vol11/iss1/11