Postpartum depression can make feeding, sleeping, working, and caring for yourself feel much harder. It is treatable, and you do not have to wait until you are unable to cope before asking for help.
The five areas below cover practical support, time for recovery, counseling, hormone-related questions, and medication. They can work together: help with meals or childcare can make treatment possible, while therapy or medicine addresses the depression itself.
Explore this guide
Baby blues or postpartum depression?
Tearfulness, worry, irritability, and exhaustion can occur soon after birth. The “baby blues” usually settle within the first two weeks. Symptoms that last longer, become more intense, or interfere with daily life warrant an assessment. Severe symptoms deserve help immediately, regardless of how recently you gave birth.
Look beyond sadness. Loss of enjoyment, persistent guilt, difficulty concentrating, appetite changes, and feeling disconnected from your baby can also matter. Trouble sleeping even when someone else is looking after the baby is worth mentioning. NIMH’s perinatal depression guide explains that depression can begin during pregnancy as well as after delivery.
Postpartum health in the data
How common are postpartum depressive symptoms?
Explore CDC estimates for 2019–2022 by location. The U.S. estimate was 12.7% in 2022—about one in eight.
United States · women with a recent live birth
Self-reported symptoms since delivery, not a clinical diagnosis. Thin lines show 95% confidence intervals. The U.S. estimate is based on participating PRAMS sites; coverage can change between years.
PRAMS, 2019–2022; CDC indicator MEN03, crude prevalence, overall population.
View all chart data and sources
PRAMS, 2019–2022; CDC indicator MEN03, crude prevalence, overall population. Symptoms mean often or always feeling down, depressed or hopeless, or having little interest or pleasure, since the most recent live birth. The denominator includes respondents with valid answers to both symptom questions. Estimates are weighted; confidence intervals describe sampling uncertainty. Missing or suppressed estimates are omitted, not plotted as zero. Locations and years reflect the available CDC extract, retrieved September 18, 2026.
| Location | Year | Estimate | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2019 | 13.4% | 12.9–14% |
| United States | 2020 | 13.4% | 12.9–13.9% |
| United States | 2021 | 12.7% | 12.2–13.3% |
| United States | 2022 | 12.7% | 12.1–13.3% |
| Alabama | 2019 | 23.5% | 20.5–26.7% |
| Alabama | 2020 | 20.8% | 17.7–24.2% |
| Alabama | 2021 | 18.7% | 15.8–22% |
| Alabama | 2022 | 16.2% | 13.7–19.1% |
| Alaska | 2019 | 12.2% | 10.1–14.8% |
| Alaska | 2020 | 13.8% | 11.5–16.4% |
| Arizona | 2020 | 13.7% | 11.4–16.5% |
| Arizona | 2022 | 11.7% | 9.6–14.1% |
| Arkansas | 2019 | 19.1% | 15.4–23.4% |
| Arkansas | 2020 | 23.2% | 19.2–27.7% |
| Arkansas | 2021 | 19.7% | 15.9–24.1% |
| Colorado | 2019 | 11.9% | 9.6–14.5% |
| Colorado | 2020 | 11.6% | 9.5–14.2% |
| Colorado | 2021 | 11.4% | 9.4–13.7% |
| Colorado | 2022 | 12.5% | 10.5–14.8% |
| Connecticut | 2019 | 11.1% | 9.1–13.4% |
| Connecticut | 2020 | 10.4% | 8.7–12.5% |
| Connecticut | 2021 | 11.9% | 10–14.1% |
| Connecticut | 2022 | 12.2% | 10.1–14.7% |
| Delaware | 2019 | 10.4% | 8.5–12.6% |
| Delaware | 2020 | 10.6% | 8.5–13% |
| Delaware | 2021 | 9.7% | 7.7–12.3% |
| Delaware | 2022 | 10.4% | 8.4–12.9% |
| District of Columbia | 2019 | 12.3% | 9.4–16% |
| District of Columbia | 2020 | 12.8% | 10–16.2% |
| District of Columbia | 2021 | 15.3% | 11.8–19.7% |
| District of Columbia | 2022 | 14.6% | 11.1–18.9% |
| Florida | 2019 | 13% | 10.7–15.7% |
| Florida | 2020 | 15.7% | 13–18.7% |
| Georgia | 2019 | 14.5% | 11.6–18% |
| Georgia | 2020 | 8.6% | 6.3–11.5% |
| Georgia | 2021 | 10.5% | 8.1–13.7% |
| Hawaii | 2019 | 11.1% | 8–15.2% |
| Hawaii | 2020 | 13.7% | 11.3–16.5% |
| Hawaii | 2021 | 14.4% | 12–17.2% |
| Hawaii | 2022 | 13% | 10.7–15.8% |
| Illinois | 2019 | 10.8% | 9–12.9% |
| Illinois | 2020 | 10.3% | 8.6–12.4% |
| Illinois | 2021 | 11.9% | 9.9–14.2% |
| Iowa | 2019 | 10.2% | 7.4–13.8% |
| Iowa | 2020 | 7.9% | 5.6–11% |
| Kansas | 2019 | 13.5% | 11–16.6% |
| Kansas | 2020 | 14.3% | 11.9–17% |
| Kansas | 2021 | 15.1% | 12.7–18% |
| Kansas | 2022 | 11.9% | 9.7–14.5% |
| Kentucky | 2019 | 13.9% | 11.1–17.3% |
| Kentucky | 2020 | 13.9% | 11.1–17.3% |
| Kentucky | 2022 | 17.6% | 14.4–21.5% |
| Louisiana | 2019 | 19.3% | 16.5–22.4% |
| Louisiana | 2020 | 16.8% | 14.1–19.8% |
| Louisiana | 2021 | 12.1% | 9.7–15% |
| Maine | 2019 | 9.2% | 7.1–11.8% |
| Maine | 2020 | 11.6% | 9.4–14.2% |
| Maine | 2021 | 12.3% | 9.6–15.5% |
| Maine | 2022 | 9.8% | 7.5–12.7% |
| Maryland | 2019 | 15.6% | 13–18.7% |
| Maryland | 2020 | 14.3% | 11.7–17.4% |
| Massachusetts | 2019 | 10.2% | 8.7–12.1% |
| Massachusetts | 2020 | 10% | 8.2–12.3% |
| Massachusetts | 2021 | 10.4% | 8.5–12.7% |
| Massachusetts | 2022 | 10% | 8.3–12.1% |
| Michigan | 2019 | 14.8% | 12.6–17.4% |
| Michigan | 2020 | 16.1% | 14–18.6% |
| Michigan | 2021 | 16.5% | 14.2–19% |
| Michigan | 2022 | 14.3% | 12.2–16.6% |
| Minnesota | 2019 | 10.9% | 8.6–13.8% |
| Minnesota | 2020 | 13.8% | 10.4–18.1% |
| Minnesota | 2021 | 11.3% | 8.2–15.4% |
| Mississippi | 2019 | 22.1% | 19.4–25% |
| Mississippi | 2020 | 21.7% | 18.6–25.2% |
| Mississippi | 2021 | 20.8% | 17.6–24.4% |
| Missouri | 2019 | 14.6% | 12.5–17.1% |
| Missouri | 2020 | 13.3% | 11.1–16% |
| Missouri | 2021 | 11.9% | 9.6–14.7% |
| Missouri | 2022 | 15.6% | 13–18.7% |
| Montana | 2019 | 15.6% | 13.1–18.6% |
| Montana | 2020 | 14.9% | 12.3–18% |
| Montana | 2021 | 13.2% | 11.3–15.5% |
| Montana | 2022 | 12.5% | 10.2–15.1% |
| Nebraska | 2019 | 12.3% | 10.3–14.6% |
| Nebraska | 2020 | 12.1% | 10.1–14.5% |
| Nebraska | 2021 | 12% | 9.8–14.6% |
| Nebraska | 2022 | 12.8% | 10.3–15.8% |
| New Hampshire | 2019 | 11.2% | 8.4–14.9% |
| New Hampshire | 2020 | 12.2% | 9.4–15.6% |
| New Jersey | 2019 | 10.4% | 8.7–12.4% |
| New Jersey | 2020 | 12.3% | 10.3–14.5% |
| New Jersey | 2021 | 10.6% | 8.7–12.7% |
| New Jersey | 2022 | 9% | 7.3–11.1% |
| New Mexico | 2019 | 14.1% | 12–16.4% |
| New Mexico | 2020 | 14.4% | 12.3–16.9% |
| New Mexico | 2021 | 12.4% | 10.5–14.5% |
| New Mexico | 2022 | 12.4% | 10.4–14.7% |
| New York | 2019 | 12.9% | 11–15.1% |
| New York | 2020 | 10% | 8.2–12.1% |
| New York | 2021 | 11.7% | 10–13.6% |
| New York | 2022 | 12% | 10.3–13.9% |
| North Carolina | 2019 | 10.7% | 8.5–13.4% |
| North Dakota | 2019 | 16.1% | 13–19.7% |
| North Dakota | 2020 | 14.5% | 11.7–18% |
| North Dakota | 2021 | 13.2% | 10.2–16.8% |
| North Dakota | 2022 | 10.5% | 7.8–14.1% |
| Oklahoma | 2021 | 16.1% | 13.4–19.3% |
| Oklahoma | 2022 | 14.9% | 12.3–18% |
| Oregon | 2019 | 12.7% | 10.8–15% |
| Oregon | 2020 | 15.7% | 13.1–18.7% |
| Oregon | 2021 | 12.5% | 10.4–15% |
| Pennsylvania | 2019 | 11.6% | 9.2–14.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 2020 | 12.9% | 10.8–15.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 2021 | 11.6% | 9.3–14.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 2022 | 12.4% | 10–15.3% |
| Puerto Rico | 2019 | 11.6% | 9.3–14.3% |
| Puerto Rico | 2020 | 11.3% | 9.1–14% |
| Puerto Rico | 2021 | 13.6% | 11.3–16.3% |
| Puerto Rico | 2022 | 17.7% | 15.1–20.7% |
| Rhode Island | 2019 | 11.5% | 9.4–14% |
| Rhode Island | 2022 | 8% | 6.1–10.5% |
| South Dakota | 2019 | 12.6% | 10.6–15% |
| South Dakota | 2020 | 12.6% | 10.5–15.2% |
| South Dakota | 2021 | 11.1% | 9.2–13.3% |
| South Dakota | 2022 | 11% | 9.1–13.3% |
| Tennessee | 2019 | 15.5% | 11.9–20% |
| Tennessee | 2020 | 15.3% | 11.9–19.6% |
| Tennessee | 2021 | 13% | 10.2–16.3% |
| Utah | 2019 | 15.2% | 13.1–17.5% |
| Utah | 2020 | 15.1% | 13.1–17.4% |
| Utah | 2021 | 16.5% | 14.3–19% |
| Utah | 2022 | 15.3% | 13–17.9% |
| Vermont | 2019 | 10% | 7.9–12.5% |
| Vermont | 2020 | 11.9% | 9.7–14.5% |
| Vermont | 2021 | 8.7% | 7.1–10.8% |
| Vermont | 2022 | 12.9% | 10.6–15.5% |
| Virginia | 2019 | 14.6% | 11.3–18.7% |
| Virginia | 2020 | 11.8% | 8.9–15.5% |
| Virginia | 2021 | 11.4% | 8.3–15.4% |
| Virginia | 2022 | 14% | 10.7–18.2% |
| Washington | 2019 | 12.9% | 10.8–15.3% |
| Washington | 2020 | 12.2% | 10.1–14.7% |
| Washington | 2021 | 11.6% | 9.5–14.1% |
| Washington | 2022 | 11.8% | 9.6–14.4% |
| West Virginia | 2020 | 16% | 12.7–20% |
| West Virginia | 2021 | 11.5% | 8.7–15.1% |
| Wisconsin | 2019 | 13.8% | 10.9–17.3% |
| Wisconsin | 2020 | 13.8% | 11.5–16.5% |
| Wisconsin | 2021 | 12% | 9.3–15.4% |
| Wisconsin | 2022 | 9.2% | 7.2–11.6% |
| Wyoming | 2019 | 15.3% | 11.9–19.6% |
| Wyoming | 2020 | 14.8% | 11–19.5% |
| Wyoming | 2021 | 17.4% | 13.5–22.2% |
| Wyoming | 2022 | 14.4% | 10.8–18.9% |
1. Support from Friends and Family
Practical help can take pressure off an already difficult day. Make requests specific: a prepared lunch, laundry, an appointment ride, or a regular period when another trusted adult takes over baby care. “Please come Tuesday afternoon so I can rest” is easier to act on than a general request for more support.
A partner, relative, or friend can help keep track of appointments and notice changes between them. Peer groups can provide connection with other parents who recognize what you are going through. A group is most useful when you can speak honestly, rather than feel pressure to present a happy version of parenthood.
Try this: Choose one person to coordinate offers of help, and agree on two or three recurring tasks. Support should make room for recovery and treatment, not become another project to manage.
2. Time for Yourself
Eating regularly, drinking enough, resting, and having a little time away from responsibilities are not luxuries. They are easier to achieve with a shared plan than through willpower alone. If nights are difficult, talk through which feeding, settling, and household tasks another adult can realistically cover.
Daylight, a gentle walk, a relaxing bath, or quiet time can be useful ways to reconnect with ordinary pleasures. Choose activities that fit your physical recovery and energy. A short walk can be a starting point; it does not need to become an ambitious exercise program.
Try this: Protect one small daily routine you would otherwise skip, such as eating lunch sitting down or taking a shower while someone else is responsible for the baby. Tell your clinician if low mood persists despite having time to rest.
3. Professional Counseling
A therapist can help with distressing thoughts, adjustment to parenthood, relationship changes, and the feeling that you cannot cope. You do not need a clear explanation of why you feel this way before attending a first appointment.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works with patterns in thoughts and behavior. Interpersonal therapy (IPT) focuses on relationships, changing roles, grief, and support. Both appear in NIMH’s treatment overview. Therapy may be used alone or alongside medication, depending on symptoms and preferences.
A partner can sometimes join a session to work on communication and practical support. You should also have space to speak privately. Ask whether the clinician has experience with postpartum depression, offers remote appointments, and has a plan if symptoms worsen between sessions.
Try this: Take one concrete example of a hard moment from the past week. It gives the therapist a place to start and helps connect the session to daily life.
4. Hormone Therapy and Thyroid Health
Hormone levels change rapidly around childbirth, which is one reason researchers have studied hormone-based approaches. Estrogen pills or patches have been investigated for postpartum depression. The Cochrane review of estrogen and progestogen treatments found preliminary signals of benefit for estrogen but insufficient evidence to recommend it routinely. This is a specialist discussion, not a standard replacement for established care.
Thyroid health is a separate issue. Postpartum thyroiditis can cause symptoms that overlap with depression, including tiredness and changes in mood. According to NIDDK’s pregnancy and thyroid guidance, thyroid testing can help identify an underactive thyroid. If replacement is needed, levothyroxine supplies thyroid hormone; it does not simply stimulate the gland.
At the appointment: Mention thyroid history and symptoms such as unusual cold intolerance, palpitations, or pronounced fatigue. Ask whether testing is appropriate. A thyroid condition and depression can also occur together.
5. Using Antidepressants and Newer Treatments
Medication can be part of treatment when symptoms are more severe, persistent, or have responded to medicine in the past. A prescriber considers previous benefit, side effects, other medicines, and pregnancy or breastfeeding plans. Counseling and practical support can continue at the same time.
SSRIs are one commonly used group. Standard antidepressants often take several weeks to help, so agree on a follow-up date and what to do if symptoms worsen. Breastfeeding does not automatically rule out medication: the choice requires a discussion of the particular medicine, the infant, and the benefits of treating the parent.
A short-course oral option
Zuranolone (Zurzuvae) is FDA-approved for postpartum depression in adults and is taken as a 14-day course. It can cause significant drowsiness and impair driving; the label advises no driving or hazardous activities for at least 12 hours after each dose. Ask about feeding, childcare support, interactions, access, and follow-up before starting.
Older resources may describe brexanolone (Zulresso), an IV treatment. Its U.S. approval was withdrawn effective April 14, 2025, so it should not be presented as a routine current option.
Make the plan workable at home
For confidential support and help finding resources in the U.S., call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-852-6262. It is available 24 hours a day. You can contact it during pregnancy or after birth; a partner or family member can also ask for guidance.
Postpartum depression: common questions
How common is postpartum depression?
CDC’s 2022 PRAMS-based estimate was 12.7% for self-reported postpartum depressive symptoms—roughly one in eight women with a recent live birth. The chart shows the location-specific estimates and confidence intervals. A symptom survey is not the same thing as a clinician diagnosing postpartum depression.
Can it start months after the birth?
Yes. It is worth asking for help throughout the postpartum year, not only at the early checkup. Describe when symptoms began and whether they have changed. Depression that begins during pregnancy can continue after delivery, and later symptoms should not be dismissed just because the initial weeks seemed manageable.
Can I have treatment while breastfeeding?
Often, yes. Talking therapy does not expose an infant to a medicine, and medication decisions can be made around the specific drug and infant’s circumstances. Bring your feeding goals to the conversation so the plan accounts for your health as well as the baby’s. Do not stop a prescribed medicine abruptly to resolve the question on your own.
How long does treatment take to work?
The timeline depends on the treatment and what is being measured. NIMH describes a typical 4–8-week timeframe for antidepressants, with some symptoms improving earlier. Zuranolone uses a different 14-day regimen. Neither timetable means you should wait through worsening symptoms; arrange an early review and an ongoing care plan.
Is hormone replacement a standard treatment?
Routine estrogen replacement is not established postpartum depression care. It has been researched, but its role differs from treating confirmed thyroid disease or using a medicine specifically approved for postpartum depression. Ask the clinician to identify the actual diagnosis, proposed treatment, expected benefit, and follow-up rather than treating “hormone imbalance” as a complete explanation.
What can a partner or friend do today?
Offer specific help, listen without arguing with the person’s feelings, and support contact with care. A useful offer is “I can take care of the baby while you call,” or “I’ll come with you to the appointment.” If there is immediate danger or signs of postpartum psychosis, get emergency help and stay with the person.
What if I have frightening thoughts I do not want?
Tell a clinician promptly about the thoughts, how often they occur, and whether you are afraid you might act on them. Unwanted intrusive thoughts need assessment and support; they are not automatically the same as intent. If you cannot keep yourself or the baby safe, seek emergency help immediately.