{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,19]],"date-time":"2026-10-19T16:41:50Z","timestamp":1792428110700,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]],"date-time":"2026-07-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784764800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,19]],"date-time":"2026-10-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1792368000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":88,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Discov Ment Health"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major yet neglected public health concern that affects maternal and child health outcomes. Awareness of PPD is crucial for early detection and timely help-seeking; however, community-level awareness remains limited in India. This cross-sectional study assessed awareness of PPD and attitudes towards help-seeking behaviour related to PPD among postpartum mothers in rural Pune using a structured questionnaire. A total of 220 postpartum mothers between 6 weeks and 6 months post-delivery were recruited through consecutive sampling during immunisation sessions at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Haveli Taluka, Pune. Of the 220 participants, 57 (25.9%) had heard of PPD. Social media platforms (61.4%) were the primary source of information. Nearly half (50.9%) of the mothers who had heard of PPD perceived it as a \u201cnormal part of motherhood.\u201d Inferential analysis indicated that awareness of PPD was significantly associated with maternal age and education level. The findings highlight low awareness of PPD and underscore the need to integrate maternal mental health literacy into routine community health education and antenatal counselling to improve early recognition and care-seeking.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1007\/s44192-026-00553-x","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]],"date-time":"2026-07-23T09:50:47Z","timestamp":1784800247000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Awareness and perception of postpartum depression among rural Indian mothers"],"prefix":"10.1007","volume":"6","author":[{"given":"Seema Hemendra","family":"Satbhai","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shamim","family":"Mohammad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"553_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41398-021-01663-6","author":"Z Wang","year":"2021","unstructured":"Wang Z, Liu J, Shuai H, Cai Z, Fu X, Liu Y, Xiao X, Zhang W, Krabbendam E. Mapping global prevalence of depression among postpartum women. Mol Psychiatry. 2021. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41398-021-01663-6.","journal-title":"Mol Psychiatry"},{"key":"553_CR2","unstructured":"Mughal S, Azhar Y, Siddiqui W. Postpartum depression, StatPearls, 2024."},{"issue":"1","key":"553_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.25259\/JNRP_584_2023","volume":"15","author":"S Panolan","year":"2024","unstructured":"Panolan S. Prevalence and associated risk factors of postpartum depression in India: a comprehensive review. J Neurosciences Rural Pract. 2024;15(1):1\u20137. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.25259\/JNRP_584_2023.","journal-title":"J Neurosciences Rural Pract"},{"key":"553_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"706","DOI":"10.2471\/BLT.17.192237","volume":"95","author":"RP Upadhyay","year":"2017","unstructured":"Upadhyay RP, Chowdhury R, Salehi A, Sarkar K, Singh K. Postpartum depression in India: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Bull World Health Organ. 2017;95:706\u201317.","journal-title":"Bull World Health Organ"},{"key":"553_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Bhattacharya U. Indian middle-class women and postpartum depression: understanding the influence of traditional gendered socialization. BMJ Open. 2021. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2021-QHRN.5.","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2021-QHRN.5"},{"issue":"4","key":"553_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"182","DOI":"10.5694\/j.1326-5377.1997.tb140071.x","volume":"166","author":"AF Jorm","year":"1997","unstructured":"Jorm AF, Korten AE, Jacomb PA, Christensen H, Rodgers B, Pollitt P. Mental health literacy: a survey of the public\u2019s ability to recognise mental disorders and their beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment. Med J Aust. 1997;166(4):182\u20136. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5694\/j.1326-5377.1997.tb140071.x.","journal-title":"Med J Aust"},{"issue":"3","key":"553_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"154","DOI":"10.1177\/0706743715616609","volume":"61","author":"S Kutcher","year":"2016","unstructured":"Kutcher S, Wei Y, Coniglio C. Mental health literacy: past, present, and future. Can J Psychiatry. 2016;61(3):154\u20138. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0706743715616609.","journal-title":"Can J Psychiatry"},{"issue":"6","key":"553_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"631","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apnu.2021.09.003","volume":"35","author":"V Poreddi","year":"2021","unstructured":"Poreddi V, Sundaram V, Nikhil S, Bidadi K. Postpartum depression: mental health literacy of Indian mothers. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2021;35(6):631\u20137. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.apnu.2021.09.003.","journal-title":"Arch Psychiatr Nurs"},{"key":"553_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101822","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajp.2019.10.002","volume":"47","author":"R Ransing","year":"2020","unstructured":"Ransing R, Kukreti P, Deshpande S, Godake S, Neelam N, Raghuveer P, Mahadevaiah M, Kataria D, Patil S, Puri M, Padma K. Perinatal depression\u2013knowledge gap among service providers and service utilizers in India. Asian J Psychiatry. 2020;47:101822. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ajp.2019.10.002.","journal-title":"Asian J Psychiatry"},{"issue":"1","key":"553_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/S12888-023-05323-5","volume":"23","author":"G Fellmeth","year":"2023","unstructured":"Fellmeth G, et al. Women\u2019s awareness of perinatal mental health conditions and the acceptability of being asked about mental health in two regions in India: a qualitative study. BMC Psychiatry. 2023;23(1):1\u201311. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/S12888-023-05323-5.","journal-title":"BMC Psychiatry"},{"key":"553_CR11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"119528","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2025.119528","volume":"387","author":"B Gupta","year":"2025","unstructured":"Gupta B, Gupta K, Goel R, Satodiya V, Mittal A. Barriers to mental health in post-partum women in India: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2025;387:119528. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jad.2025.119528.","journal-title":"J Affect Disord"},{"issue":"1","key":"553_CR12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"249","DOI":"10.1186\/s12884-026-08675-4","volume":"26","author":"S Panolan","year":"2026","unstructured":"Panolan S, Thomas B M., and, Jafar K. Between stigma and support: a qualitative inquiry into help-seeking behaviour for postpartum depression care in Kerala, India. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2026;26(1):249. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12884-026-08675-4.","journal-title":"BMC Pregnancy Childbirth"},{"issue":"3","key":"553_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0298750","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0298750","volume":"19","author":"M Delgado-Herrera","year":"2024","unstructured":"Delgado-Herrera M, Aceves-G\u00f3mez AC, Reyes-Aguilar A. Relationship between gender roles, motherhood beliefs and mental health. PLoS ONE. 2024;19(3):e0298750. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0298750.","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"issue":"3","key":"553_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"44","DOI":"10.37464\/2010.273.1714","volume":"27","author":"JL Bilszta","year":"2010","unstructured":"Bilszta JL, Ericksen J, Buist AE, Milgrom J. Women\u2019s experience of postnatal depression\u2014beliefs and attitudes as barriers to care. Australian J Adv Nurs. 2010;27(3):44\u201354.","journal-title":"Australian J Adv Nurs"},{"issue":"12","key":"553_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1177","DOI":"10.1016\/j.midw.2015.09.002","volume":"31","author":"A Fonseca","year":"2015","unstructured":"Fonseca A, Gorayeb R, Canavarro MC. Women\u2019s help-seeking behaviours for depressive symptoms during the perinatal period: socio-demographic and clinical correlates and perceived barriers to seeking professional help. Midwifery. 2015;31(12):1177\u201385. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.midw.2015.09.002.","journal-title":"Midwifery"},{"issue":"4","key":"553_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"256","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apnu.2014.04.001","volume":"28","author":"S Guy","year":"2014","unstructured":"Guy S, Sterling BS, Walker LO, Harrison TC. Mental health literacy and postpartum depression: a qualitative description of views of lower income women. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2014;28(4):256\u201362. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.apnu.2014.04.001.","journal-title":"Arch Psychiatr Nurs"},{"issue":"3","key":"553_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"207","DOI":"10.1177\/02537176241245773","volume":"47","author":"SP Rajeev","year":"2025","unstructured":"Rajeev SP, Nair GM, K. K. K., and, Maria C. India\u2019s silent struggle: a scoping review on postpartum depression in the land of a billion mothers. Indian J Psychol Med. 2025;47(3):207\u201313. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/02537176241245773.","journal-title":"Indian J Psychol Med"},{"issue":"1","key":"553_CR18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"681","DOI":"10.1186\/s12884-025-07813-8","volume":"25","author":"P Sharma","year":"2025","unstructured":"Sharma P, Bagga R, Khan M, Duggal M, Hosapatna Basavarajappa D, Ahuja A, Kankaria A, Diamond-Smith N, Kumar V, Kashyap M, Singh P, Kaur J, El AM, Ayadi. Maternal health education and social support needs across the perinatal continuum of care: a thematic analysis of interviews with postpartum women in Punjab, India. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2025;25(1):681. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12884-025-07813-8.","journal-title":"BMC Pregnancy Childbirth"},{"issue":"9","key":"553_CR19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0327986","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0327986","volume":"20","author":"P Suri","year":"2025","unstructured":"Suri P, SD S, Yan S, Murthy S, Johnston JS. Investigating the role of family members in postnatal care: evidence from mother-caregiver dyads in India. PLoS ONE. 2025;20(9):e0327986. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0327986.","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"issue":"1","key":"553_CR20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"64","DOI":"10.4103\/ijsp.ijsp_13_18","volume":"35","author":"V Shriraam","year":"2019","unstructured":"Shriraam V, Shah PB, Rani MA, Sathiyasekaran BWC. A community-based study of postpartum depression in rural Southern India. Indian J Social Psychiatry. 2019;35(1):64\u20138.","journal-title":"Indian J Social Psychiatry"},{"key":"553_CR21","unstructured":"Government of India. Public Distribution System (PDS), National Food Security Act Portal. https:\/\/nfsa.gov.in\/portal\/PDS_page. Accessed 20 May 2026."},{"key":"553_CR22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.12968\/ajmw.2020.0001","volume":"15","author":"O Abazie","year":"2021","unstructured":"Abazie O, Usoro I. Knowledge of postpartum depression among mothers at immunisation clinics in Mushin, Nigeria. Afr J Midwifery Women\u2019s Health. 2021;15:1\u20139. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.12968\/ajmw.2020.0001.","journal-title":"Afr J Midwifery Women\u2019s Health"},{"key":"553_CR23","unstructured":"Mirsalimi F, Ghofranipour F, Montazeri A, Noroozi A. Postpartum depression literacy among pregnant women. Payesh. 2019;18(5):525\u2013533. http:\/\/payeshjournal.ir\/article-1-1186-en.html"},{"issue":"10","key":"553_CR24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"193","DOI":"10.47310\/jpms2025141027","volume":"14","author":"A Gari","year":"2025","unstructured":"Gari A, Alzanbagi RA, Dosh OY, Alzahrani RD, Alzubaidi RM, Alshammari TM, Alshaalan HY, Alharthi HS, Alkarmo MY, Alzahrani KT. Exploring knowledge and awareness level of postpartum depression among multiparous women in Saudi Arabia. J Pioneer Med Sci. 2025;14(10):193\u2013200. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.47310\/jpms2025141027.","journal-title":"J Pioneer Med Sci"},{"key":"553_CR25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101","DOI":"10.4236\/ojd.2014.33014","volume":"3","author":"E Thorsteinsson","year":"2014","unstructured":"Thorsteinsson E, Loi N, Moulynox A. Mental health literacy of depression and postnatal depression: a community sample. Open J Depress. 2014;3:101\u201311. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4236\/ojd.2014.33014.","journal-title":"Open J Depress"},{"issue":"2","key":"553_CR26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"168","DOI":"10.1111\/1552-6909.12014","volume":"42","author":"E Henshaw","year":"2013","unstructured":"Henshaw E, Sabourin B, Warning M. Treatment-seeking behaviors and attitudes survey among women at risk for perinatal depression or anxiety. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2013;42(2):168\u201377. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/1552-6909.12014.","journal-title":"J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs"},{"key":"553_CR27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"429","DOI":"10.1007\/s00737-013-0369-4","volume":"16","author":"N Byatt","year":"2013","unstructured":"Byatt N, et al. Women\u2019s perspectives on postpartum depression screening in pediatric settings: a preliminary study. Archives Women\u2019s Mental Health. 2013;16:429\u201332. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s00737-013-0369-4.","journal-title":"Archives Women\u2019s Mental Health"},{"issue":"3","key":"553_CR28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"246","DOI":"10.1177\/02537176211005017","volume":"43","author":"R Ransing","year":"2021","unstructured":"Ransing R, et al. COVID-19 pandemic and stepped care model for perinatal depression in rural India: lessons learned and the way forward. Indian J Psychol Med. 2021;43(3):246\u201351. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/02537176211005017.","journal-title":"Indian J Psychol Med"},{"key":"553_CR29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1117332","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2023.1117332","volume":"14","author":"W Huang","year":"2023","unstructured":"Huang W, et al. Postpartum depression literacy in Chinese perinatal women: a cross-sectional study. Front Psychiatry. 2023;14:1117332. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyt.2023.1117332.","journal-title":"Front Psychiatry"},{"issue":"7","key":"553_CR30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"523","DOI":"10.1111\/jpm.12395","volume":"24","author":"YS Kim","year":"2017","unstructured":"Kim YS, Lee HY, Lee MH, Simms T, Park BH. Mental health literacy in Korean older adults: a cross-sectional survey. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2017;24(7):523\u201333. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/jpm.12395.","journal-title":"J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs"}],"container-title":["Discover Mental Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s44192-026-00553-x","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s44192-026-00553-x.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s44192-026-00553-x.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,19]],"date-time":"2026-10-19T16:02:05Z","timestamp":1792425725000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s44192-026-00553-x"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,12]]}},"alternative-id":["553"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s44192-026-00553-x","relation":{},"ISSN":["2731-4383"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2731-4383","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]]},"assertion":[{"value":"24 February 2026","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"17 July 2026","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"23 July 2026","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"Ethical approval was obtained from the MAEER\u2019s Vishwaraj Hospital Institutional Ethics Committee, Loni Kalbhor, Pune. All study procedures were conducted in accordance with the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and the relevant national guidelines for research involving human participants. 9 September 2024 (Approval received before commencing the data collection). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their inclusion in the study. Participants were informed about the purpose of the study, confidentiality of the data, and their right to withdraw from the study at any time without any consequences. IEC\/O-64\/2024.","order":1,"name":"Ethics","label":"Ethics approval and consent to participate","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","label":"Consent for publication","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","label":"Competing interests","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}}],"article-number":"202"}}