In the mystery of postpartum depression, the immune system offers clues
For decades scientists have been trying to solve the mystery of postpartum depression, including why it strikes some women and not others. The illness - marked by intense feelings of sadness and even thoughts of harming a child or oneself - can be devastating to mothers, newborns and entire families. Now, emerging research may hold answers. Although postpartum depression has commonly been linked to the hormonal fluctuations of pregnancy, scientists say that the immune system may play a much larg