Seafood Consumption, the DHA Content of Mothers’ Milk and Prevalence Rates of Postpartum depression: A Cross-national, Ecological Analysis

The Scientific Paper:

J. R. Hibbeln. Journal of Affective Disorders. Vol. 69 pp 15-29. 2002.

Review This Scientific Paper’s Abstract:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db
=PubMed&list_uids=12103448&dopt=Citation

The Purpose of this Study:
To investigate the possible relationship between postpartum depression and the levels of a certain beneficial fatty acid (here, docosahexaenoic acid or DHA) content of mothers’ milk plus her seafood consumption.

Some Background, Methods, Results, Caveats, and Other Select Points:

• This peer-reviewed, scientific paper was published in 2002.
• These study results do not necessarily prove that higher levels of certain beneficial fatty acids (here, the omega-3 fatty acids) cause fewer cases of postpartum depression.
• Data on potentially influential outside-the-study factors were not always all available for all countries.
• Scientists need to research to see if certain beneficial fatty acids (here, omega-3 fatty acids) can reduce major postpartum depression symptoms.

A Bottom Line:
These scientists believe that both lower levels of certain beneficial fatty acids (here, docosahexaenoic acid or DHA) in mothers’ milk - and less seafood eaten by the mother - are related to seeing more cases of postpartum depression.

Find This Scientific Paper for Your Review:
Seafood Consumption, the DHA Content of Mothers’ Milk and Prevalence Rates of Postpartum depression: A Cross-national, Ecological Analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders. Vol. 69 pp 15-29. 2002.