Moms of multiples more likely depressed

BALTIMORE, March 31 (UPI) -- Mothers of multiple births have higher odds of postpartum depression, but few seek therapy, U.S. researchers say.

The study, published in the April issue of the journal Pediatrics, found mothers of multiples have a 43 percent higher risk of having moderate to severe depressive symptoms nine months after giving birth compared with mothers of single-born children.

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore examined the relationship between multiple births and maternal depressive symptoms. They found that multiple births increased the odds of maternal depression, and that few mothers with depressive symptoms, regardless of the multiple births status, reported talking to a mental health specialist or a general medical provider.

"Our findings suggest that 19 percent of mothers of multiples had moderate to severe depressive symptoms nine months after delivery, compared (with) 16 percent among mothers of singletons," lead author Yoonjoung Choi said in a statement.

"Mothers with a history of hospitalization due to mental health problems or a history of alcohol or drug abuse also had significantly increased odds."