In the first year after giving birth, 13 percent of women suffer from postpartum depression.
 
Two recent studies, one in United Kingdom and one in Canada, have revealed that early identification and intervention can help new mothers who are at risk.

The Canadian study was headed by Cindy-Lee Dennis, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, who had in the past found that giving peer support over the telephone to the mothers considerably increased their chances to continue to breastfeed.

"Women just loved this telephone-based support, and I thought, well, what other conditions might this type of support be beneficial for? And so I then related this model to postpartum depression," said Dennis.

The study involved women in the first two weeks after giving birth who were identified as being at high risk for postnatal depression. They were given support over the phone, by a group of selected volunteers.

"What I had the peer volunteers do was let the mother lead the discussion and the conversation and I had the peer volunteers provide useful suggestions," said Dennis.

It was found that mothers who received this telephone-based support were at half the risk of developing postpartum depression.