Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, Vol 13(4), Dec 2024, 263-275; doi:10.1037/cfp0000241
Postpartum depression is the most common complication of childbearing and has serious negative impacts on both women and their children. Yet, due to stigma and barriers to accessing mental health care, many women do not engage in postpartum depression treatment. As a result, scholars have called for a shift in applied postpartum depression research from intervention to prevention in order to circumvent barriers to treatment and evade the negative consequences of this major public health issue. MotherWise is a community-based program for women who are pregnant or who have recently had a baby that combines an evidence-based relationship education curriculum developed for individuals (Within My Reach) with case management and information on infant care and parenting. Using data from medical charts, the present study evaluated the impact of MotherWise on postpartum depression, as well as history of depression, race, and ethnicity as moderators of these effects. The study sample included 425 women who enrolled in a larger randomized controlled trial of MotherWise during pregnancy. Results indicated that the program was associated with lower rates of positive postpartum depression screens among women without a history of depression, as well as among women who identify as Black or African American. The current project demonstrates the potential for individual-oriented relationship education programming to prevent postpartum depression among certain groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)