Review: mothers with postpartum depression had to readjust expectations, cope with loss, and find ways to meet needs

Beck CT. Postpartum depression: a metasynthesis. Qual Health Res2002 Apr ; 12 : 453 –72 . [OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2] 
 QUESTION: What are the experiences of mothers who have postpartum depression? Studies were identified by searching CINAHL, PsycLIT, Index Medicus, Social Sciences Citation Index, American Humanities Index, Anthropological Literature, Sociological Abstracts, and Dissertation Abstracts. Studies were selected if they were qualitative studies on postpartum depression. Data were extracted on the key metaphors in each study and their relations with each other. Reciprocal translations were done so that the metaphors within each study could be related to those of other studies. The translations were synthesised by comparing them and determining the encompassing metaphors and themes. 18 studies (2 unpublished) were included. Study settings were USA (6 studies), UK (8 studies), Australia (3 studies), and Canada (1 study). Study designs included phenomenology (6 studies), general descriptive design (4 studies), ethnography (2 studies), grounded theory (2 studies), and 1 case study. The themes reflected 4 perspectives related to postpartum depression. (1) Incongruity between expectations and reality of motherhood : personal and societal … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DQualitative%2BHealth%2BResearch%26rft.stitle%253DQual%2BHealth%2BRes%26rft.issn%253D1049-7323%26rft.aulast%253DBeck%26rft.auinit1%253DC.%2BT.%26rft.volume%253D12%26rft.issue%253D4%26rft.spage%253D453%26rft.epage%253D472%26rft.atitle%253DPostpartum%2BDepression%253A%2BA%2BMetasynthesis%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1177%252F104973202129120016%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F11939248%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=spqhr&resid=12/4/453&atom=%2Febmental%2F5%2F4%2F128.1.atom