Study: Boy Babies More Likely To Cause Post-Partum Depression

February 14, 2008 8:51 p.m. EST

Nancy, France (AHN) - A recent study concluded that the births of male babies expose mothers to higher levels of post-partum depression.

Experts from the French university Nancy 2 drew their findings from an experiment involving 181 women who had given birth. The scientists measured that one-third of the test subjects had experienced postnatal depression (PND).

Of the nine percent that the scientists diagnosed with severe PND, three quarters had given birth to boys, said Times Online.

Based on the data gathered from questionnaires asking the subjects about their quality of life in terms of physical functions, bodily pain, mental health, emotional condition, social behavior and general health, experts determined that 70 percent of women who gave birth to male babies reported a lower quality of life, compared to those who gave birth to girls.

"Postnatal depression is very common and poses a major public health problem, especially if it is not diagnosed and treated," said Professor Claude de Tychey, study author. "When we launched our research, our main aim was to study the effect that gender has on PND. But the overwhelming finding of the study was the fact that gender appears to play a significant role in reduced quality of life as well as an increased chance of severe PND."

The UPI reported that the lower quality of life experienced by the 70 percent of women who gave birth to boys was evident, whether or not they actually suffered from PND.

For those with PND, women who had girls had higher quality-of-life scores compared to those who had boys.

"Postnatal depression can have a considerable impact on women as it can affect both their physical and mental health," said de Tychey.

The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.