Postpartum depression and infantile colic: A systematic review
Open Access
- Author:
- Mc Clure, Alexis
- Area of Honors:
- Nursing
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Rachel Allen, Thesis Supervisor
Ying-Ling Jao, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- Postpartum depression
PPD
Infantile colic
Excessive crying - Abstract:
- BACKGROUND: Postpartum depression (PPD) involves feelings of depressed mood, agitation, loss of interest in previous activities, and feelings of worthlessness or guilt. Identifying a relationship between PPD and infantile colic will help provide necessary interventions to prevent PPD. Infantile colic consists of inconsolable infant crying for more than three hours per day, three days per week, lasting up to three weeks. PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review is to identify an association between infantile colic and PPD, and to determine interventions to prevent the development of PPD in postpartum mothers of infants diagnosed with infantile colic. METHODS: As a systematic review, ten research studies were included, retrieved from PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychINFO, to represent the research question. Five of the studies focused on the relationship between infantile colic and PPD while four provided education interventions. RESULTS: A consistent association was found between infantile colic and PPD in all the represented literature. Mothers who had infants diagnosed with infantile colic had increased feelings of depression and a higher risk of developing PPD when compared to mothers whose infants did not have infantile colic. Amongst the interventions, providing necessary education and support for mothers regarding infantile colic was the best intervention to help prevent and treat PPD. In terms of treating infantile colic, Lactobacillus reuteri showed positive effect on improving the infant’s temperament and excessive crying habits. DISCUSSION: There is a relationship found between infantile colic and PPD and implementing educational materials and probiotic interventions to the infant will help prevent PPD. Future research studies should identify a deeper connection between the two and more definitive interventions to help treat both infantile colic and PPD.