Pregnancy or having a new baby is expected to be a joyous time, full of anticipation, preparation, and excitement. Unfortunately for about 20 percent of pregnant women and 10 -15 percent of new mothers, it is a time of depression (Canadian Nurse, 2006). Often referred to as the "silent condition" due to being undetected or undiagnosed. This is the result of women suffering in silence because of embarrassment or the stigma attached to depression. Health care professionals often misdiagnose symptoms as "baby blues" or hormonal in nature. Another factor is so much focus tends to be on maternal-fetal physical wellbeing in the prenatal period.

According to the Diagnositic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, (DSM-IV-TR) defines postpartum depression (PPD) as major depression, but specifies "with postpartum onset" that occurs within four weeks of childbirth. Research and mental health providers use a more extensive time for the onset of PPD, within three months and up to one year after childbirth (BC Medical Journal, 2005; Boath and Henshaw, 2001).