Postpartum depression is a potentially dangerous condition that can fill a typically joyous time with despair. The mood disorder has been on the rise. A 2024 study in the journal JAMA Network Open found that U.S. rates more than doubled in just over a decade. They climbed from 9.4% in 2010 to 19% in 2021, partly due to improved screening and diagnosis. For many women, it can be hard to differentiate postpartum depression from the much milder and more common “baby blues” brought on by plummeting hormone levels. But doctors say recognizing and treating postpartum depression is crucial to recovery.