Postpartum Depression - Prevention

Prevention

Early identification and intervention improves long term prognoses for most women. Some success with preemptive treatment has been found as well. A major part of prevention is being informed about the risk factors, and the medical community can play a key role in identifying and treating postpartum depression. Women should be screened by their physician to determine their risk for acquiring postpartum depression. Also, proper exercise and nutrition appears to play a role in preventing postpartum, and general, depression.

In the US, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that the first prenatal visit include screening for depression, stress, support, and whether the pregnancy was planned. However providers do not consistently provide screening and appropriate follow-up.

Currently, Alberta is the only province in Canada with universal PPD screening which has been in place since 2003. The PPD screening is carried out by Public Health nurses in conjunction with the baby's immunization schedule.

In an examination of data from 10,700 children (born in 2001 and followed until 2007) from the U.S. Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort, it was determined that children of mothers suffering from persistent PPD are more likely to be very short at ages 4 and 5 (at or below the 10th percentile for height at those two ages). Therefore, infants and young children (especially children not born to short parents) born to mothers with PPD, especially severe and/or long-lasting PPD, might do well to be evaluated more closely, at least for height, during any periodic physical examinations and other health evaluation (well-child) visits.