Postpartum Depression Affects Nearly One in Five Indian Mothers, Study Finds

SRINAGAR: Almost one in five Indian mothers experiences postpartum depression, according to recent meta-analysis and survey data, underscoring the urgent need for stronger maternal mental health support.

A systematic review of Indian studies covering more than 20,000 women estimated a pooled prevalence of 22 per cent, with the rate standing at 19 per cent when early postpartum assessments, within the first two weeks after childbirth, were excluded. Another meta-analysis focusing on research published between 2020 and 2024 confirmed a similar figure of 19 per cent of mothers being affected.

These findings point to a significant mental health burden among new mothers in India. In a response to the Lok Sabha, the Ministry of Health said that while India does not maintain centralised data on postpartum depression, frontline workers such as Auxiliary Nurse Midwives and Accredited Social Health Activists conduct six postnatal home visits to screen for signs of the condition, with cases referred for further care under schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan.