Relationship between social support and postpartum depression in migrant and non-migrant first-time mothers.

Social support is negatively associated with PPD for all mothers, but levels of PPD for migrant mothers may be linked to country-specific healthcare resources and immigration policies. Immigrant policies influence migrant mothers' healthcare access; thus, immigration policies may influence PPD among first-time migrant mothers and the manner in which nurses can provide formal support. This study finds that social support, including the formal social support provided by nurses, decreases the likelihood of PPD. Demands on nurses' technical and assessment skills are high, but nurses also need to remember that their skills of providing social support are equally important, and for first-time mothers, may contribute to decreasing PPD.