Winter may be gloomy for many, but new research suggests it could be the best time of year for new mothers.
A study has shown that women who give birth in the winter and early spring – when the days are dark and the nights long – are less likely to suffer from postnatal
depression than mothers who have babies at other times of the year.
It is thought that this is due to the fact that family and friends are more likely to 'rally round and help' each other once the weather turns glum.
reviewed the medical records of 20,169 women who delivered babies between June 2015 and August 2017, and found that around 4.1% of them suffered with postnatal depression.
Researcher Dr Jie Zhou, from Brighan and Women's Hospital in Boston, said: 'We wanted to find out whether there are certain factors influencing the risk of developing postpartum depression that may be avoided to
improve women's health, both physically and mentally.' He added that, while it remains unclear why giving birth in winter or spring should have a positive effect, it could be linked to the 'seasonal enjoyment of indoor activities mothers experience with newborns'.
