Post-Partum Distress among Women with and without ADHD

Objective: The goal of this study was to examine the prevalence of post-partum distress among women with ADHD. Methods: Using a large electronic health records registry, a sample of 13,588 women with and 474,789 women without ADHD (18-45 years old,) who had birth delivery records between 2010-2022 were identified. The prevalence of distress, including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and stress-related disorders at six weeks and 12 months following delivery, was compared between groups. Analyses also considered the effects of other factors associated with post-partum distress, including age, race and ethnicity, as well as preexisting physical and mental health concerns. Results: Relative to women without ADHD, women with ADHD reported higher rates of depression, OCD, and stress-related disorders at six weeks and 12 months following delivery. Compared to women without ADHD, and considering the effects of race, ethnicity, age, and pre-existing mental and physical health conditions, women with ADHD were 1.14 times more likely to be diagnosed with mood disorder at six weeks post-partum and 1.21-1.24 times more likely to be diagnosed with a mood, anxiety or stress-related disorder at 12 months post-partum. Conclusion: Women with ADHD face adversity in the acute and long-term post-partum periods. Future research examining mechanisms of post-partum risk and resilience is needed to guide the development of treatments to support women with ADHD during this sensitive developmental period.