Higher Temperatures Increase Risk for Postpartum Depression

Effect modified by maternal age, race/ethnicity, air pollution, green space, and air conditioning penetration

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 11, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Maternal exposure to higher temperatures during the postpartum period is associated with an increased risk for postpartum depression (PPD), according to a study published online Nov. 27 in Environmental Health Perspectives.

Yi Sun, Ph.D., from the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health at the University of California, Irvine, and colleagues examined the associations between postpartum temperature exposure and PPD. The analysis included data from 429,839 pregnancies identified from Kaiser Permanente Southern California electronic health records (2008 through 2018).

The researchers identified 46,114 PPD cases (10.7 percent), with a positive association between increased PPD risks and exposure to higher mean temperature (adjusted odds ratio per interquartile range increment, 1.07) and diurnal temperature range (adjusted odds ratio, 1.08). The associations were stronger for maximum temperature than for minimum temperature. Greater temperature-related PPD risks were seen among African American, Asian, and Hispanic mothers, as well as among mothers 25 years of age and older. Greater effects of temperature on PPD were also seen among mothers exposed to higher air pollution or lower green space levels and among mothers with lower air conditioning penetration rates.

“Continued research into the mechanisms regarding temperature and PPD and the effect modification of environmental factors and climate adaptation strategies is warranted to help improve maternal mental health,” the authors write.