There are numerous ways in which human resources personnel, benefit directors, and supervisors can assist in mitigating the negative effects of postpartum distress in working mothers that, in turn, will help optimize their company’s workforce, employee well-being, and labor productivity. Department of Labor 2015), it is important to recognize the impact of peripartum or postpartum depression (PPD) and anxiety (PPA) on occupational outcomes.
Given that a majority of women of childbearing age in the United States are now employed outside the home (U.S. If left untreated, peripartum or postpartum mental distress can adversely influence the child’s cognitive and language development, mother–infant attachment, and maternal health and quality of life (Arteche et al., 2011 Henrichs et al., 2010). Consequently, these are periods when some women can be at an increased risk for developing a mental disorder, particularly depression and anxiety (Ross & McLean, 2006 Vesga-López et al., 2008).
The first year after childbirth (the postpartum period), as well as the short period of time before and immediately after delivery (the peripartum period), can be a particularly vulnerable time when mothers often experience massive biological, emotional, financial, and social changes. Throughout their lifetimes, women are at a greater risk than men for developing certain psychiatric disorders, including major depression and generalized anxiety disorder (Kessler, 2003 Wittchen, 2002). Tools and Strategies to Combat Peripartum and Postpartum Depression and Anxiety in Working Mothers