US Medical Term · maternity
Postpartum Depression
Depresión posparto
What it means
Postpartum depression is a common but serious mood disorder that can begin anytime within the first year after childbirth. MedlinePlus distinguishes it from the postpartum "baby blues", the mood swings, crying spells, or anxious feelings that usually go away within a few days to a week: symptoms that are more severe and last longer than two weeks may be postpartum depression. Symptoms may include feeling sad or empty most of the time, crying more than usual, and feeling little or no interest in the baby. The National Institute of Mental Health describes it as the part of perinatal depression that occurs in the weeks and months after childbirth. MedlinePlus says to call 911 or go to the emergency room for thoughts of suicide or of hurting oneself or the baby.
Postpartum Depression in Spanish
- Spanish term
- Depresión posparto
- Gender and article
- feminine: la depresión posparto
- Pronunciation
- deh-preh-SYOHN pohs-PAHR-toh
| Other Spanish terms | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| depresión postparto | General | Spelling with -st-; MedlinePlus en español lists it among the other names of its topic page, and the RAE dictionary accepts postparto alongside posparto. |
| depresión después del parto | General | Descriptive name that MedlinePlus en español lists among the other names of its topic page. |
Depresión posparto is the name used by MedlinePlus en español and by the National Institute of Mental Health's Spanish page, and it takes the feminine article: la depresión posparto. The RAE dictionary enters posparto as a masculine noun meaning puerperio and notes the spelling postparto as well. MedlinePlus en español lists depresión postparto and depresión después del parto among the other names of its page, and it calls the condition un trastorno del estado de ánimo (a mood disorder).
The Spanish pages keep three nearby terms apart. Tristeza posparto is what both sources call the "baby blues", which the National Institute of Mental Health describes as mild, short-lasting mood changes in the first two weeks after giving birth. Depresión perinatal covers depression during pregnancy (depresión prenatal) and after the baby is born. Psicosis posparto is described by MedlinePlus en español as a medical emergency. For the time after birth, MedlinePlus en español writes período posparto.
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | My baby was born six weeks ago, and I cry almost every day. | Mi bebé nació hace seis semanas y lloro casi todos los días. |
| Clinician | How long have you been feeling this way? | ¿Desde cuándo se siente así? |
| Patient | For more than two weeks. I feel a lot of sadness and I have trouble sleeping. | Desde hace más de dos semanas. Siento mucha tristeza y me cuesta dormir. |
| Clinician | I am going to ask you some questions about your mood, your sleep, and your thoughts. | Le voy a hacer algunas preguntas sobre su estado de ánimo, su sueño y sus pensamientos. |
| Patient | Is this the baby blues or postpartum depression? | ¿Esto es tristeza posparto o depresión posparto? |
| Patient | I am breastfeeding. Is that important for choosing a treatment? | Estoy amamantando. ¿Eso es importante para elegir un tratamiento? |
| Clinician | Have you had thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby? | ¿Ha tenido pensamientos de hacerse daño o de hacerle daño a su bebé? |
| Clinician | If you have those thoughts, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away. | Si tiene esos pensamientos, llame al 911 o vaya a la sala de emergencias de inmediato. |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Postpartum Depression |
| Spanish (Español) | Depresión posparto |
| Chinese (中文) | 產後抑鬱症 |
| Korean (한국어) | 산후 우울증 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Trầm cảm sau sinh |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Postpartum depression |
| Portuguese (Português) | Depressão pós-parto |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | ภาวะซึมเศร้าหลังคลอด |
| Japanese (日本語) | 産後うつ病 |
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
ICD-10-CM code: F53 → Mental and behavioral disorders associated with the puerperium, not elsewhere classifiedRelated terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Mental health
All terms in this area: Mental health — Salud mental
Sources
- Postpartum Depression — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Depresión posparto — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- Perinatal Depression — National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), NIH
- Depresión perinatal — National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), NIH
- posparto — Diccionario de la lengua española — Real Academia Española / ASALE
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 8, 2026