Depression a leading World killer

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Depression also has a large impact on maternal and child well being. A series of studies from South Asia have demonstrated that early childhood failure to thrive, as indicated by undernutrition and stunting of growth in babies under 1 year, is independently associated with depression in mothers. A study from Pakistan shows that babies of mothers who were depressed during pregnancy and in the postnatal period were more than five times at greater risk for being underweight and stunted at 6 months than babies of non-depressed mothers, even after adjustment for other confounding factors like socioeconomic status. Childhood failure to thrive is a major risk factor for child mortality. Depressed mothers are more likely to cease breastfeeding. Depression during pregnancy is strongly associated with low birth weight.