Does diet affect a woman’s chance of having postpartum depression?

DEAR DR. ROACH » I’ve heard that there are issues with the enzymes, proteins and chemicals that are found in animal meat and plant matter. Somehow, I’m told, it affects a woman’s brain and makes her go crazy when they’re mixed together. Somehow, this mixture possibly causes postpartum depression. I’m told it’s better to eat either plant matter or animal tissue, but not both mixed together. Is there any plausibility to this assumption? DEAR READER » Interaction among the environment (including diet), the body and the mind is complex, so I cannot say for sure the theory is completely fallacious, but I think it probably is completely wrong. Worse, it could give women who suffer from postpartum depression a greater sense of guilt than they may already have.

It’s thought that 10 percent or so of women will experience depression after pregnancy, and symptoms may start before delivery of the baby or after delivery, usually within the first month. Risk factors include a history of depression, major stressful events during pregnancy and lack of financial or social support. While the cause is unknown, changes in hormones around pregnancy and delivery are thought to be important.

Postpartum depression is different from “postpartum blues,” which is mild symptoms of depression, such as difficulty sleeping (that is not due to the baby), poor energy, difficulty concentrating and feeling down. These symptoms generally get better in a few days and are gone by two weeks.

In women with postpartum depression, the symptoms are more severe, last at least two weeks and often include feelings of guilt, loss of pleasure and thoughts about self-harm. PPD is common enough that it is appropriate for clinicians to screen all new mothers for this condition. It is underrecognized, serious and treatable. While I wish it could be prevented with a simple diet change, I don’t believe that.

Finally, I advise you that the word “crazy” has no place in discussing mental disorders.

Contact Dr. Roach at ToYourGoodHealth@med. cornell.edu.