By Dr. Sanchari Sinha Dutta, Ph.D. Reviewed by Lauren Hardaker Nov 17 2025 A massive population study reveals that postpartum depression in either parent, especially in both, may signal a substantially higher likelihood of autism in their child, underscoring the importance of early mental-health support for families. Study: The association between parental postpartum depression and offspring autism spectrum disorder . Image credit: Bogdan Sonjachnyj/Shutterstock.com Parental postpartum