The puerperium is a period characterized by a significant
burden of affective disorders [1]. During the postpartum period,
mood disturbances are prevalent in up to 85% of women, albeit
only 10% to 15% of women experience clinically significant
symptoms. Postpartum depressive disorders are typically
categorized by severity as follows: postpartum blues, nonpsychotic
major depression (postpartum depression [PPD]) and
puerperal psychosis [2]. There is some controversy regarding the
definition of PPD; according to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5), PDD is
defined as occurrence of a major depressive episode with onset
during the first four months postpartum [3]. Nevertheless,
differential clinical features of PPD, compared to major
depressive episodes in other periods of life, have been described
and majorly include parenthood-related clinical expressions,
like anxiety for parenthood, feeling of inadequacy in the
parental role and fear for the child’s health [4]. Additionally,
there is a lack of consensus regarding the duration of the
postpartum period defining PPD, with many clinical studies
extending it to include women with depression onset up to one
year after delivery. PPD is distinguished from postpartum blues
that comprises a rather mild and transient mood disturbance,
occurring in 50–85% of women who have recently given birth,
and usually resolving spontaneously by the tenth day postpar-
tum [5]. However, some women with severe postpartum blues
may be at risk of developing more persistent depressive
symptoms later in the postpartum period [6].