Depression Postpartum: Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

The prevalence of postpartum depression continues to increase annually. Approximately 13%-18% of mothers worldwide who experience postpartum depression exhibit severe depressive symptoms and seek treatment. Untreated postpartum depression significantly increases the risk of developing depression beyond the postpartum period, making these individuals six times more likely to suffer from depression later in life. This study aims to identify and analyze academic literature on postpartum depression and to explore emerging research trends, leading authors, co-authorship networks, institutions, countries, and journals. Methods: Scopus was utilized to collect relevant articles on postpartum depression published from January 1925 to September 27, 2024. All titles were screened to ensure they met inclusion criteria, with the primary requirement that the titles be in English. All bibliographic information was extracted and used for descriptive analysis. Bibliometrics and VOSviewer were used to compile and visualize annual publication totals, journals, authors, countries, institutions, collaboration networks, keywords, and references. In total, 13,383 articles met the inclusion criteria. The number of publications annually indicated an increasing trend, although there was a decrease in the last two years, 2023 and 2024. The journals with the most publications were the Journal of Affective Disorders, Archives of Women's Mental Health, and BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. The most productive countries were the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The most prolific institutions included the University of Toronto, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Melbourne. The most productive researchers were Wisner, K.L., Meltzer-Brody, S., and Dennis, C.L. Conclusions: This study summarizes recent advances in postpartum depression research and highlights emerging trends, sources, leading institutions, and hot topics through bibliometric analysis and network visualization. Although this study has unveiled new knowledge in healthcare, it will provide valuable insights relevant to future research directions and clinical practice.