Factors associated with postpartum depression symptoms following antepartum hospitalization.

Optimizing pregnancy outcomes is vital for long‐term health of women and children. Furthermore, pregnancy offers an important “window to future health” []. Many disorders that extend well beyond pregnancy manifest first in pregnancy. As an example, people who experience depression in pregnancy are more likely to experience mood and anxiety disorders later in life [, ]. Furthermore, many maternal disorders that appear in pregnancy have long‐term consequences for the patient and their offspring []. Depression during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth and low birth weight, as well as an increased risk of developmental and cognitive delays and depression later among children []. Similarly, other conditions during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and preterm birth, are associated with cardiovascular and metabolic health complications later in life for both the pregnant person and their offspring []. Historically, however, pregnant participants have been underrepresented or excluded from clinical research due to perceived ethical concerns regarding fetal harm, as well as regulatory barriers associated with studying pregnant people, who were historically categorized as a “vulnerable population.” As a result, there is a critical lack of robust data about medications and other clinical interventions that may improve reproductive health and pregnancy outcomes [, ]. Pregnancy physiology is drastically different than the nonpregnant state, and these differences require research specific to pregnancy, both related to the medications and their dosing, as well as to determine appropriate clinical treatments and interventions. Pregnancy is also associated with a need for changes in health behaviors, increased susceptibility to social determinants of health, and the transition to parenting, all of which support the need for public health, health services, and social sciences research specific to pregnancy and the postpartum period.