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Women who have children when they are in their teens or early-20s are more prone to depression, according to new research.

A study conducted over 11 years indicated that one in four teenage mums suffered from antenatal depression, compared to 18 per cent of older women.

Furthermore, 36 per cent of young mothers in their early 20s were found to be experiencing the condition.

Cerith Waters, from Cardiff University, who presented the findings to a British Psychological Society conference, said: "Young mums can be very vulnerable and it is clear from these results that they need much more support, not just after the birth, but before as well."

She added that programs which aim to assist young mothers need to be "multi-faceted" and should be put in place during pregnancy to ensure they "address both the mother’s and the child’s needs".

A spokesman for the Department of Health said the group acknowledges the "importance" of proper support for young women with antenatal and postnatal depression.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

A serious form of postnatal depression which afflicts one in 500 women could be genetic, according to new research.

Previously, it had been believed that the condition was linked to women’s circumstances, personality and hormonal changes, reports the Guardian.

However, a recent study conducted by Cardiff University, Birmingham University and Trinity College, Dublin, found that postpartum psychosis - which is the most severe form of the condition - is found in the genes.

Dr Ian Jones, head of psychological medicine at Cardiff, said: "Postpartum psychosis is classed as among the most severe episodes of illness seen in clinical practice.

"The consequences for the mother, infant and family are so serious that such episodes require close attention, often including hospitalisation."

Jones’ team present the evidence in the American Journal of Psychiatry, noting that women with a particular recessive gene are particularly prone to postpartum psychosis.

According to the study, some 17,250 cases of the condition could be going undetected in the UK every year.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

The credit crunch is a factor in the soaring levels of anti-depressant prescriptions, a Welsh GP has claimed.

Prescriptions for drugs such as Prozac and Seroxa have risen substantially compared to the previous 12 months, reports thisisswansea.co.uk.

Ian Millington secretary of Morgannwg Local Medical Committee, said he was not surprised at the increase, as depression is closely associated with unemployment and poverty.

Dr Millington said: "It is probably a reflection of the stress of life, as we are in a high unemployment area.

"There is not much doubt that depression goes with unemployment and poverty, and the increase is not surprising if that is the case.

"There is evidence in recession that depression goes up."

However, he added that the increased numbers meant that diagnosis for the condition had improved.

A spokeswoman for Swansea Local Health Board also noted that the figures were based on monthly prescriptions, as opposed to weekly – which could mean prescription levels are actually lower.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

Pregnant women suffering from severe depression are at almost double the risk of giving birth prematurely, according to researchers.

A new study conducted by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in California suggested that the level of depression has a direct effect on the likelihood of pre-term delivery, reports the Daily Mail.

The findings, which were published in the journal Human Reproduction, indicated 41 per cent of 800 women in their tenth week of pregnancy reported significant or severe depressive symptoms.

Mildly depressed women were found to have a 60 per cent higher chance of having a premature baby, when compared with women who did not have any symptoms of the condition.

Lead researcher Dr De-Kun Li said that a woman’s mental well-being could have an effect on hormone production, which in turn could affect the working of the placenta.

He pointed out that it is just as important to study the effects of depression during pregnancy as well as the common practice of doing so afterwards.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression.

Herbs which are available over the counter can be just as effective as drugs such as Prozac for treating depression, it has been claimed.

New trials on St John’s Wort have indicated that the herb is the equal of standard antidepressants and has fewer side-effects.

It has been used by millions of people every year, but was previously only thought to be effective for milder forms of depression.

As with prescribed antidepressants, the herb works by boosting the brain chemical serotonin - which regulates mood.

The report published in the Cochrane review, said: "Overall, we found that the St. John’s Wort extracts tested in the trials were superior to placebos and as effective as standard antidepressants, with fewer side effects."

However, the experts stressed that forms of the herb tend to vary considerably, adding: "Using a St John’s Wort extract might be justified, but products on the market vary considerably, so these results only apply to the preparations tested."

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression.

Listening to certain kinds of music can ease anxiety and depression in pregnant women, according to medical researchers in Taiwan.

Scientists noted that listening to certain forms of music – such as lullabies and classical songs – could have a claming effect on expectant mothers.

A group of pregnant women were divided into two groups, with 116 listening to the appropriate music CDs and 120 receiving normal pregnancy care.

The tempo of the music – which included Beethoven and Debussy, Chinese nursery rhymes, lullabies and nature sounds – was synchronised with the rhythm of the human heart.

Professor Chung-Hey Chen, who is now based at the National Cheng Kung University, said: "The music group showed significant reductions in stress, anxiety and depression after just two weeks, using three established measurement scales,"

"In comparison, the control group showed a much smaller reduction in stress, while their anxiety and depression scores showed little or no improvement."

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

Nearly half of people in the UK are not comfortable admitting a mental health problem at work, according to new research.

A study conducted by charity The Shaw Trust to coincide with World Mental Health Day on October 10th indicated that 18 per cent of workers would not reveal a condition such as depression to a colleague or the HR department.

Furthermore, the report found that one in ten workers thought admitting to such a condition would have a detrimental effect on their chances of promotion, reports the Daily Record.

Tim Cooper, managing director of The Shaw Trust, said: "The Office of National Statistics estimates one in six people may suffer from a mental health condition at any one time.

"Despite this, our research illustrates that people are still very reluctant to reveal such a condition, particularly in the current economic climate in which workers are concerned about showing any sign of perceived weakness."

The Shaw Trust has now launched a website offering advice and information on the issue.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression

Flexitime working is one of the key things that a person suffering from depression can use to help tackle the condition, an expert has said.

With Depression Awareness Week underway, the Depression Alliance has pointed out that the condition can have a disruptive effect on sleep patterns, something that flexitime working could help to balance.

Emer O’Neill, chief executive of Depression Alliance, commented: "Depression means that even being able to stick to the regular routine of getting up and going to work everyday can be really difficult.

"For some people it means that they oversleep and for others it means that they can’t sleep at night or in the early morning."

She added that talking therapies, diet, exercise and a good social support network are all good "non-medical interventions" that are crucial in managing depression.

According to an Inside Story report, 79 per cent of people diagnosed with depression in the UK feel disclosing their condition to colleagues would have a detrimental impact on them.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression.

Individuals exploring the possibility of depression life insurance may be interested to learn that a third of people with the condition have been turned down for jobs directly because of their mental health problems.

Furthermore, more than two-thirds were concerned that revealing their depression to workmates could have a negative effect on their careers.

Conducted by the charity Depression Alliance, the study looked at 288 members and discovered that 46 per cent said having a job played a role in recovery, but many members still felt there was a stigma attached to the condition.

Some 51 per cent of respondents felt they had been dissuaded from getting involved in new projects, while 48 per cent stated they had been avoided by colleagues.

Emer O’Neill, the DA chief executive, said: "Having a job is very important to people with depression so employers and colleagues need to have a much greater understanding of the challenges faced by people with depression, in order to provide the support they need to contribute fully."

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression.

Postnatal depression in fathers can have negative psychological effects on their children, according to new research.

The Children of the 90s survey by the University of Bristol found that the children of depressed men are twice as likely to suffer from behavioural problems in later life as those whose fathers are not depressed.

According to the researchers, the results illustrate the father’s role in socialising their children and raise the issue of children’s sensitivity to their parent’s moods.

Psychiatrists have warned that the results could be ominous for the future, as paternal postnatal depression is becoming increasingly commonplace

Commenting on the findings, Paul Ramchandani, an Oxford University psychiatrist, said in the report: "Conduct problems at this age are strongly predictive of later serious conduct problems, increased criminality and significantly increased societal costs."

Postnatal depression is said to affect about one mother in ten, with separate research indicating that around three to ten per cent of men are affected.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with depression.