Patterns and Predictors of Maternal Pre- and Postnatal Depression

This study investigated the trajectories of maternal depression from late pregnancy to 12 months postpartum and identified factors predicting trajectory membership. A total of 3,171 mothers from the Korean Panel Study on Early Childhood Education and Care were assessed during late pregnancy (32–37 weeks) and again 1, 4, and 12 months postpartum. Using growth mixture modeling revealed three distinct trajectories were identified: clinical-increase, subclinical-stable, and low-recovery. Maternal depression levels rose until 4 months postpartum and then decreased by 12 months. Experiences of infertility and employment status were significant predictors of membership in the clinical-increase group, with employment status also differentiating the subclinical-stable group. These findings highlight the diverse patterns of perinatal depression and emphasize the need to consider infertility experiences and employment status when identifying at-risk mothers and developing targeted interventions.