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The role of body image in prenatal and postpartum depression: a critical review of the literature

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Abstract

Maternal depression increases risk of adverse perinatal outcomes, and recent evidence suggests that body image may play an important role in depression. This systematic review identifies studies of body image and perinatal depression with the goal of elucidating the complex role that body image plays in prenatal and postpartum depression, improving measurement, and informing next steps in research. We conducted a literature search of the PubMed database (1996–2014) for English language studies of (1) depression, (2) body image, and (3) pregnancy or postpartum. In total, 19 studies matched these criteria. Cross-sectional studies consistently found a positive association between body image dissatisfaction and perinatal depression. Prospective cohort studies found that body image dissatisfaction predicted incident prenatal and postpartum depression; findings were consistent across different aspects of body image and various pregnancy and postpartum time periods. Prospective studies that examined the reverse association found that depression influenced the onset of some aspects of body image dissatisfaction during pregnancy, but few evaluated the postpartum onset of body image dissatisfaction. The majority of studies found that body image dissatisfaction is consistently but weakly associated with the onset of prenatal and postpartum depression. Findings were less consistent for the association between perinatal depression and subsequent body image dissatisfaction. While published studies provide a foundation for understanding these issues, methodologically rigorous studies that capture the perinatal variation in depression and body image via instruments validated in pregnant women, consistently adjust for important confounders, and include ethnically diverse populations will further elucidate this association.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a funding from NIH/NIDDK grant R01DK064902.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest concerning this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, 405 Arnold House, 715 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA, 01003-9304, USA

    Marushka L. Silveira, Karen A. Ertel & Lisa Chasan-Taber

  2. Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Nancy Dole

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  1. Marushka L. Silveira
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  2. Karen A. Ertel
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  3. Nancy Dole
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  4. Lisa Chasan-Taber
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Correspondence to Lisa Chasan-Taber.

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Silveira, M.L., Ertel, K.A., Dole, N. et al. The role of body image in prenatal and postpartum depression: a critical review of the literature. Arch Womens Ment Health 18, 409–421 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-015-0525-0

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