Pregnant Anxiety And Depression Screening Essay

Postpartum psychiatric disorders, particularly depression, has become the most underdiagnosed complication in the United States. It can lead to increased costs of medical care, inappropriate medical care, child abuse and neglect, discontinuation of breastfeeding, and family dysfunction and adversely affects early brain development (Earls, 2010). Over 400,000 infants are born to mothers that are depressed. One of 7 new mothers (14.5%) experience depressive episodes that impair maternal role function. An episode of major or minor depression that occurs during pregnancy or the first 12 months after birth is called perinatal or postpartum depression (Wisner, Chambers & Sit, 2006). Mothers with postpartum depression experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion that may make it difficult for them to complete daily care activities for themselves or for others (Postpartum Depression). The six stages of postpartum are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance and PTSD. These stages may affect any women regardless of age, race, ethnicity, or economic status. However only a physician can diagnose a woman with postpartum depression. It does not occur because of something a mother does or does not do, it’s a combination of physical and emotional factors. After childbirth, the levels of hormones in a woman’s body quickly drop; which may lead to chemical changes in her brain (Postpartum Depression). Unbalanced hormones may trigger mood swings.

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects at least 10-20% of new mothers. However, the true incidence may be much higher due to the fact that screening is not considered to be a standard practice, leaving PPD undetected and untreated in many women (Schaar & Hall, 2014). Postpartum depression not only negatively affects the mother; it also has a negative impact on the infant. For this reason, it is important for the health care providers caring for pregnant and postpartum mothers to screen them for risk factors associated with PPD, as well as educate them on ways to lessen their chances of getting PPD. It is also important for the health care providers to screen for PPD with a standardized tool like the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and to take action in treating it when it is suspected or diagnosed.

As mental health in America is finally being addressed and more research is seen, it is important to look at the potential causes or correlations that lead to common diagnoses for patients. According to Brummelte and Galea (2010), “depression affects approximately 1 in 5 people, with the incidence being 2-3x higher in women than in men.” Postpartum depression (PPD), a subset of this debilitating disease, has an estimated prevalence rate of 13-19% with another estimated 50% that are undiagnosed (O’hara and McCabe, 2013). As a whole, it has the same symptoms as major depressive disorder but diagnosis occurs within 0-4 weeks of giving birth (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Part of this lack of diagnosis is due to a multitude of healthcare

Identifying and treating physical health issues of the baby after birth is a natural part of follow-up care, but emotional well-being care of the mother generally is not. In an article titled “Panel Calls for Depression Screenings During and After Pregnancy”, author Pam Belluck argues that screening all expectant women should be recommended due to the high probability of mental health issues emerging afterwards. “The recommendation, expected to galvanize many more health providers to provide screening, comes in the wake of new evidence that maternal illness is more common than previously thought…” (2016). If more screening took place for women in the after care of pregnancy, there could be a reduction of pregnancy induced mental illnesses, since those affected would be identified earlier and

According to two recent studies, 7-13% of all postpartum women suffer from depression. Even more alarming, the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) in mothers who have pre-term infants rises to 30-40% according to a recent review (Robertson E, Grace S, Wallington T, Stewart DE., 2004; Schmied V, Johnson M, Naidoo N, et al., 2013). Mood and anxiety disorders, specifically PPD, are severe, yet common complications in women of reproductive age. Undertreated depression in postpartum women is associated with health risks for both the mother and infant, making the goal of euthymia a top priority in the care of postpartum women. Current practice regarding PPD focuses on the triad approach of early detection and prevention, the use of pharmacotherapy, and the use of psychotherapy. However, the treatment of mental illness during pregnancy requires weighing the benefits of pharmacological treatment for the mother, to the risk of the medications on the growth and development of the fetus as well as the theoretical risks associated with undertreated depression. However, many studies are showing that the risks of postpartum depression to both the mother and infant significantly outweigh the risks of pharmacological treatment during pregnancy. Also, due to the ethical issues surrounding trials of pharmacotherapy during pregnancy, further research to determine evidenced-based methods of treatment are still necessary. The most important intervention to date is a

Depression, in general, affects more than 340 million people around the world and is reported to be the highest cause of disability in high-income countries (Demissie). 15% to 85% of mothers can experience postpartum “blues” with postpartum depression rates between 11.7% and 20.4% in the United States alone (Ersek). This depression can occur at anytime from post-delivery up to one year (Ersek).

Perinatal depression is common in pregnancies whether regardless of race. Although, it is higher among African American low income women. Depression or anxiety during pregnancy, stressful recent life events, poor social support and a previous history of depression are all predictors of postpartum depression. (Stewart, D.E., Robertson, E., Dennis, G.L., Grace, S.L. & Wallington, T. 2003) Childcare stress, low self-esteem, maternal neuroticism, and difficult infant temperament are moderate predictors of postpartum depression.( Stewart, D.E., Robertson, E., Dennis, G.L., Grace, S.L. & Wallington, T. 2003) Obstetric and pregnancy complications, negative cognitive attributions, single marital status, poor relationship with partner, and lower socioeconomic status including income are small predicators of post-partum depression.

Rahman, A., Bunn, J., Lovel, H. and Creed, F. (2007), Association between antenatal depression and low birthweight in a developing country. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 115: 481–486. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2006.00950.x

“Postpartum depression affects 10% to 20% of women after delivery, regardless of maternal age, race, parity, socioeconomic status, or level of education”.( Consise) Postpartum depression is a major depression episode that occurs after childbirth affecting not only the mother but also the child and family members. After the delivery of the placenta extending for about six weeks this is considered as as the postpartum period. This a critical period for the mother and new born physiological and psychological because the woman’s body is returning to a non-pregnant state in which hormones, sleep parttters, emotions and relationship are changing. Therefore, up to 80% of mothers experience the "baby blues during the first week in which

It is essential for us to recognize the prevalence and devastating effects of maternal depression on the parent-child relationship and the child’s health. Understanding the cultural values and beliefs of ethnic women is an obstacle to correctly diagnosing depression. These women often express their psychological distress through physical symptoms. According to National Guideline Clearinghouse (2013), all women should be asked about their depression two weeks after birth, and the woman's psychological well-being should continue to be assessed for PPD if symptoms haven’t resolved. Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Screening or Beck Depression Inventory can be useful, but many health care providers do not know how to access additional mental health care when women screen positive for depression (Onunaku, 2005). As a result, maternal depression often goes unrecognized and untreated. Appropriate identification and immediate proper follow-up care is critical to a new mother’s health and the health of her baby

Postpartum Depression is depression that occurs after performing childbirth. This condition is often mistaken for the “baby blues” which has similar symptoms such as tearfulness, extreme sadness, anxiety, self-doubt, and fatigue. However, the “baby blues” goes away within a few weeks after and unlike the “baby blues”, postpartum depression can cause suicidal thoughts, difficulty making decisions, and feeling too exhausted to get out of bed for hours. If postpartum depression is not treated properly or soon enough it can drastically effect the lives of those who have developed it as well as their families. This is because a mother is a very important figure in one’s life because she is the first person that an individual ever makes an emotional connection with; she’s also the first one to play the role of supplying nourishment to her child. Consequently, “PPD can affect familial relationships and a woman’s capacity to care for and bond with her newborn. Some research indicates that young children of depressed mothers are at increased risk of delay in cognitive and language development” (McGarry, Kim, Sheng, Egger, & Baksh, 2009). Postpartum depression can take hold of a woman and her family’s life and is one of the most common complications of childbirth. However, “postpartum depression (PPD) is less frequently detected, treated, or the focus of obstetric research” (McGarry et al., 2009). This is because mothers suffering with postpartum depression are unable to seek proper

In the United States, as well as many other countries and cultures, postpartum depression is prevalent, but many times overlooked or not diagnosed. Postpartum depression is a “mood disorder that occurs with alarming frequency with documented prevalence of 10% to 15% during the first 3 months after delivery” (Horowitz, et. al, 2013, p. 287). Throughout hospitals, nurses are being educated about postpartum depression, which allows them to educate patients on what postpartum depression is and how to recognize the signs. If unrecognized and left untreated, women are at an increased risk of future depressive episodes and functional impairment (Katon et. al, 2014). There are many initiatives in place to increase the amount of screening and education that is occurring for postpartum depression.

The baby blues are much more common than postpartum depression in women after pregnancy. The incidence of baby blues are approximately four out of every 5 new mothers. Whereas postpartum depression accounts for 1 in every 5 new mothers. Maternal depression such as the baby blues or postpartum depression are cultural phenomenons. The text states that these feelings and symptoms after childbirth are not limited to the United States. In fact, they are observed in many developing and non-developed countries as well such as China, Australia, South America, etc. Researchers believe the main contribution to these feelings new mothers experience have to do with our physiological factors. Physiological factors such as changes in hormone levels are believed

Despite widespread recognition of the problem of maternal depression and the potential benefits of screening, screening for maternal depression is not a standard (New York State Department Of Health, 2016). This policy brief was written for healthcare providers who treat expectant and new mothers with goals to improve the screening and to increase the number of women receiving appropriate treatment in our community. The recommendations address measures to improve early identification of the condition and preventive/follow-up care delivery for women in prenatal to postpartum periods.

During labor and delivery, for many Chinese women, family support is preferred over pain medications (Sullivan, 2012). For the delivery of the first child, the father of the baby is not present, instead the woman’s mother is there