Postnatal Depression and Faltering Growth: A Community Study

ABSTRACT. Objective. To investigate the association between faltering growth in children and maternal post-natal depression. Methods. Children aged <2 years were identified from community child health surveillance records if their weights fell across 2 centile channels on standardized growth charts or fell below the second centile. Mothers of these index children were invited to complete the Edin-burgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the anxiety sub-scale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Those who scored above threshold values on either scale were interviewed with the revised Clinical Interview Schedule. Matched control children were obtained from health visitor records, and records of their weights were obtained. Mothers of control children completed th