A Scoping Review of Risk Factors of Postpartum Depression among Military Personnel and Spouses

Women in the military and spouses of military personnel are subject to an environment with distinct stressors, increasing their predisposition for PPD. Identifying specific risk factors is critical for quality screening, diagnosis, and care of PPD among this population. Significant risk factors consistently isolated from the available literature include history of mental health disorders, lack of adequate social support, low rank and pay, deployment of self or spouse, history of combat exposure, branch of service, and young maternal age. Findings of this review also suggest that early detection via thorough screening and disease mitigation by means of a 12-week maternity leave led to lower rates of PPD and better disease outcomes. Military-specific family health resources are widely available across branches of service and individual bases, though the use and quality of these resources are inconsistent. Providers of women experiencing at least one of these stressors should increase PPD precautions and refer patients to the appropriate preventative and acute care.