Darcy et al’s1 recent article “Maternal Depressive Symp- tomatology: 16-Month Follow-up of Infant and Mater- nal Health-Related Quality of Life. ” The authors should

be commended for researching the long-term effects of postpartum mood disorders after new mothers ’ transition home from the hospital setting. I am impressed this study is a part of the Weaving Work and Family Project: Implications for Mother and Child.2 For nurse clinicians and managers, postpartum mood disorders are a chal-lenging aspect of maternal newborn care. Hillerer et al3 propose that maternal adaptations, such as decreased anxiety and attenuated stress responsiveness, are neces-sary to enable successful postnatal development of the offspring. Many devastating consequences of postpartum mood disorder could be avoided with early identification and referral to psychosocial support in the pre- and postnatal settings. There are multiple opportunities for health car