Abstract
The first 6 weeks postpartum are characterized by major changes in the bodies of cisgender women and an increased vulnerability to psychiatric disorders such as postpartum depression (PPD). This Perspective addresses the debate over the onset of PPD in the first 6 weeks postpartum and its probable relationship to physiological adaptation processes. Fluctuations in hormone levels during pregnancy and childbirth trigger simultaneous changes in brain structure and function, which are particularly dynamic in the first 6 weeks postpartum. At the same time, rapid hormone withdrawal coincides with mood disorders such as ‘baby blues’ or PPD. Understanding the covariance between the temporal trajectories of hormonal adaptations, time-dependent neuroplasticity and the onset of mood disorders may shed valuable light on the highly sensitive time frame of the first 6 weeks postpartum, which, in addition to being a critical period of transition, may prove to be crucial for the onset of PPD.
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Fig. 1: Postpartum disorders and hormonal trajectories throughout the postpartum period divided into acute, subacute and delayed phases.
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Acknowledgements
This research is supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG; grant numbers 410314797 and 512021469).
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Natalia Chechko & Susanne Nehls
Present address: Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, JARA–Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM-10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
These authors contributed equally: Natalia Chechko, Susanne Nehls.
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Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain and Behavior (INM-7), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
Natalia Chechko
Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
Natalia Chechko & Susanne Nehls
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N.C. and S.N. contributed equally to the conceptualization, drafting, writing, and critical revision of this perspective. Both authors approved the final version of the manuscript for submission.
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Chechko, N., Nehls, S. Maternal neuroplasticity and mental health during the transition to motherhood. Nat. Mental Health (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-025-00399-2
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Received:02 May 2024
Accepted:13 February 2025
Published:01 April 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-025-00399-2
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