A history of concussion has been linked to an increased risk of psychopathology after childbirth

Hilary Brown of the University of Toronto and colleagues conducted a population-based cohort study and found that a woman's history of concussions was associated with an increased risk of severe mental health problems after childbirth. The analysis included all women who gave birth to one child in Ontario between 2007 and 2017, with follow-up continuing until 2021. More than 18,000 participants had ever had a concussion in their lives, while nearly 736.7 thousand more had never had one. Admission to a psychiatric emergency department, psychiatric hospitalization, self-harm or suicide up to 14 years after delivery were taken as indicators of severe mental illness. The results are published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Statistical analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazards model. It showed that women with a history of concussion had a significantly increased risk of severe psychiatric disorders after childbirth: 14.7 versus 7.9 cases per 1,000 person-years; risk ratio (HR) adjusted for comorbidities 1.25 (95% confidence interval 1.20-1.31). When stratified by the presence of mental illness before delivery, the risk was higher in those who did not have mental illness: HR 1.33 (95% confidence interval 1.23-1.44). This suggests the need for timely identification and screening of laboring women with a history of concussion and their long-term psychological support.