Women who give birth to boys are more prone to post-natal depression – and this is the reason

Mothers of children's boys are more prone to post-natal depression than those who are giving birth to girls, the study found.

A study by the University of Kent on postnatal depression (PND) showed that the situation in the development of this condition increased by 71 to 79 percent for mothers of male infants.

Women whose birth had a complication had a 174% higher likelihood of having PND compared to those women who had no complications.

Dr. Sarah Johns and dr. Sarah Myers, at the Anthropology and Early Childhood Care Center, hopes that their findings will help healthcare professionals identify and support women who may be more likely to develop this condition.

Their research also found that while women with an inclination to depression, anxiety and stress always had a higher risk of PND, after reducing birth complications, opportunities for development were reduced.

This is because these women receive greater support after birth due to their well-known mental health concerns.

This means that increased support can prevent the development of PND.

See below: Everything you need to know about post-natal depression

Dr Johns said: "The PND is a condition that can be avoided, and it has been proven that the provision of additional assistance and support for women could be less likely to develop.

"The finding that a child or a difficult birth increases the risk of women gives health professionals two new and easy ways to identify women who will have special support within the first few weeks and months."

What is Postnatal Depression?

The NHS says that PND is a type of depression that can begin at any point in the first year after childbirth and can develop suddenly or gradually.

Many women feel a bit down, embarrassed or worried about the first week after their birth.

This is often called "baby blues" and is so often considered to be normal. However, this does not last more than two weeks after childbirth.

If symptoms last longer or begin later, they may have post-natal depression.

The main symptoms are:

• persistent feeling of sadness and low mood

• loss of interest in the world around you and you do not enjoy any more in the things that have given you pleasure

• lack of energy and feeling tired all the time

• difficulty sleeping at night and a feeling of sleepiness throughout the day

• feeling that you can not take care of your baby

• problems of concentration and decision making

• loss of appetite or increased appetite (eating comfort)

• feeling irritable, irritable or very apathetic ("you can not bother")

• Feelings of guilt, hopelessness and self-denial

• problems with tying a child with a sense of indifference and without a sense of pleasure in your company

• intimidating thoughts – for example, physical damage to a child; this can be frightening, but it rarely works

• to think about suicide and self-harm

The NHS says that if you think you may be depressed, ask your doctor or doctor as soon as possible to have access to the support you need.

Do not fight for yourself, and we hope that the problem will disappear. It may continue for months or years if it is not addressed.

Eyes and partners can also become depressed after the birth of the child. You should find help if that affects you.

For more information on the treatment of postpartum depression click here

So why is the birth of children boys related to post-natal depression?

Dr Johns and Dr Myers say there is a well-known relationship between inflammatory immune responses and the development of depressive symptoms.

And the vomiting of male fetuses and experiences of birth complications are associated with increased inflammation.

A new study suggests that this inflammation may trigger post-natal depression.

Depression is increasingly accepted as a "neuro-axial and inflammatory process," reports ScienceDirect.

It is believed that immune responses are at the root of depression, which is supported by the fact that most antidepressants have anti-inflammatory effects.

So it seems that inflammation is inflamed by the emotional distress of depression, rather than causing it.

There are suggestions that depression is an evolutionary adaptation to prevent and combat infections.