Depression Can Become Chronic if Untreated

Medical researchers based at the Yale School ofwas a very common condition, with one in five
Medicine recently published a study showing thatmothers of children one and older showing moderate
postpartum depression in mothers could develop intoto severe symptoms of depression.
cases of clinical depression if untreated. The groupAccording to Weitzman, the findings show that
focused upon was comprised of economicallydepression is not limited to the postpartum period,
disadvantaged women, and researchers found thatbut in fact may develop into higher incidents of clinical
symptoms improved with effective therapy.depression as the children grow older. Separate
Depression a Common Conditionstudies have established that depression can result
The study, led by Carol C. Weitzman, M.D., associatefrom other conditions and diseases as well, including
professor of pediatrics and in the Child Study Centerdiabetes ? though medical testing for physiological
at Yale School at Yale School of Medicine, found thatdisorders such as diabetes was not undertaken in the
postpartum depression among underserved womenstudy.