Post-partum depression (also known as PPD), it is a mood disorder that many women experience after birth. Roughly 1 in 8 women experience symptoms of PPD but it can be as high as 1 in 5 women as reported by the CDC. PPD can have detrimental effects on both mother and infant health making it a crucial interest in the study of development and PPD has also been found to have underlying biological risk factors. Relationship analysis of PPD in general and in relation to the 5-HTTLPR SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphism) has been almost exclusively with women where much less is known about the allelic relationship with paternal post-partum depression. 

The goal of this research is to expand on the biochemical mechanisms of post-partum depression to better understand it’s clinical manifestation and perhaps alternative ways for treatment.