Most people in Australia think depression is a normal part and parcel of motherhood, researchers have pointed out.

Experts at the country’s depression initiative beyondblue quizzed 733 men and women and found that more than half believe it was usual for women to suffer depression during pregnancy.

The survey further discovered that one quarter of respondents thought postnatal depression did not require treatment and would disappear on its own, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Beyondblue deputy chief executive and psychologist Nicole Highet revealed that the fact that most people regard depression as a normal part of pregnancy was worrying.

She said: “Maybe people are confusing the baby blues, which is quite normal and it does pass on its own, with depression, which is certainly not normal and it’’s something that needs to be picked up as soon as possible.”