The untiring efforts of women to juggle families and careers is apparently taking a toll on them --- with German researchers having found that, as compared to the 1970s, women now face a two-fold more risk of suffering from depression!

According to the findings of a new research published in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology, the stress of trying to cope with the specific needs of their home and family as well as their career has resulted in a `tremendous burden' on women.

The researchers - led by Professor Hans-Ulrich Wittchen - have also found that as many as one in seven women is likely to be affected by depression at some point in their lives; with the figures implying that the number of women facing depression risk is more than double vis-a-vis the number of men facing a similar risk.

On the basis of a study of the extent of mental health problems across Europe, the researchers stated that rates of depression in women have doubled over the last four decades; and that the maximum depression risk for women is during the age-group of between 16 and 42, when they tend to have children.

With the study revealing that women who work and have children are more at risk of depression, Prof Wittchen said: "In females you see these incredibly high rates of depressive episodes at the time when they are having babies, where they raise children, where they have to cope with the double responsibilities of having a job and a family"!