New mums who give birth to boys are more likely to suffer from post-natal depression than mums with girls.
Researchers also claim that they are more likely to experience a poorer quality of life in the months after the arrival. The study of 181 women, with an average age of 29, showed that 9 per cent suffered severe postnatal depression four to eight weeks after delivery. Three quarters of these had given birth to boys.
The team discovered that, even if women did not have postnatal depression, giving birth to a boy was significantly more likely to reduce their quality of life than having a girl.
The questionnaire covered health, physical functioning, physical role, bodily pain, mental health, emotional role, social functioning, vitality and general health amongst others. Women who had given birth to boys scored lower in 70 per cent of these areas than those who had girls. 17 of the women in the study suffered severe depression. Thirteen of these had had boys and four girls. The study was carried out in a French community where women faced no cultural pressures over the sex of their baby.
The study, published in the February issue of Journal of Clinical Nursing, says psychoanalytical theories suggest a mother's attitude towards her son may be shaped by her relationship with present and past male figures. There was also the possibility that male babies are seen by today's mums as "more difficult".
"Depressed mothers who are often in difficult marital relationships may respond more negatively to their sons," the report says. Post-natal depression is a common problem in the UK, affecting an estimated 70,000 to 100,000 new mothers each year. Although most victims only suffer for a short time, one in 10 goes on to suffer full-blown clinical depression which is unlikely to improve without treatment.
"Post-natal depression is very common and poses a major public health problem, especially if it is not diagnosed and treated. When we launched our research, our main aim was to study the effect that gender has on PND." said Professor de Tychey, the lead researcher.
February 2008
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