“What if I have to go through that again?” The desire to have children after postpartum anxiety or depression

For many parents, the question of having another child is a perfectly normal consideration. But if a mental illness such as postpartum depression or anxiety disorder occurred after the last child, this desire is often overshadowed by fear: Could it all happen again? And what then? However, there are also hopeful scenarios for the future, suggesting that this time everything could be different. In fact, studies show that a previous postpartum mental illness increases the risk of recurrence (Rasmussen et al., 2017), but by no means guarantees that another crisis will occur (Robertson et al., 2004). Many parents experience a more stable period with their second child, especially if they seek support and take specific precautions.