Background: Postpartum depression occurred in 10% to 25% of patients. With the development of time, the number of people affects by depression gradually expanded. Understanding the risk factors of postpartum depression was helpful for early detection and intervention, and could better carry out targeted postpartum care and propose corresponding treatment measures.Aim: The aim of the study is to describe the risk factors for developing postpartum depression.Design: A descriptive literature review, includes studies using qualitative and quantitative methods.Methods: Qualitative and quantitative studies of risk factors for developing postpartum depression were retrieved from PubMed. The author compared the results of 10 articles and made a summary.Results: A total of 10 qualitative and quantitative articles describing the risk factors affecting postpartum depression were included, which were divided into four categories: (1) Physical and biological factors (2) Psychological factors (3) Obstetric and pediatric factors (4) Socio-demographic factors.Conclusion: The risk factors for developing postpartum depression covered all aspects. Health care providers should understand and identify the risk factors for developing postpartum depression as early as possible, and provide women with personalized care programs that could help reduce the incidence of postpartum depression.