Background: The United States is experiencing a maternal health crisis that continues to worsen in the face of racial/ethnic disparities, rising chronic disease burden among birthing patients, and policy barriers to health care access. Longitudinal postpartum primary care is critical to mitigating these trends, but current rates of use are low, and evidence-based interventions are limited. This scoping review aims to understand the current literature and components of the Chronic Care Model (CCM) used in postpartum primary care and its impact on maternal health outcomes. Methods: We identified 74 studies published between 2000 and 2023 through comprehensive searches of four databases. Extracted data was synthesized for their impact on maternal health, including equity considerations and the primary CCM element. Results: The studies were collated based on their primary maternal health priority (general health n = 13, depression and anxiety n = 34, diabetes n = 3, hypertension n = 5, adolescent parents n = 6, and substance use disorder n = 13). The most common CCM elements were Delivery System Design and Self-Management Support. The least common CCM element was Clinical Information Systems, with electronic health record challenges noted as a barrier. We identified successful interventions that increased depression screening, postpartum hypertension follow-up via telehealth, and integrated contraceptive education within shared parent-child medical homes for adolescent parents. Interventions were largely feasible and acceptable for both patients and clinicians. Conclusions: This review highlights several potential strategies to improve and scale longitudinal postpartum primary care. Further work is needed to ensure equitable delivery, improved connection with community resources, and to expand informatics in postpartum care.

This Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial (SMART) was conducted to determine minimum implementation support needed for agencies serving pregnant people on public assistance to adopt and sustain the ROSE (Reach Out, Stay Strong, Essentials for mothers of newborns) postpartum depression (PPD) prevention program.

Enrolled prenatal agencies (N=98) received thorough initial implementation support (initial training + written sustainment planning). Agencies were identified as at risk for non-sustainment within the first 15 months (N=56) were randomized to: (1) no additional implementation support (N=12), or (2) quarterly implementation support (coaching and feedback; N=44). If agencies receiving quarterly implementation supports were still at risk and within the first 15 months (N=29), they were randomized to: (1) continued quarterly support (N=14), or (2) monthly implementation support (N=15). No implementation support occurred after 18 months. Follow-ups occurred quarterly and then at 18, 24, and 30 months. Outcomes included sustainment of core program elements, agency PPD rates, reach, and costs/cost-effectiveness of each sustainment step.

Twice as many agencies as expected (41 of 98; 42%) delivered ROSE with fidelity for 15+ months after receiving thorough initial implementation support only. For agencies at risk for non-sustainment, no effects of adding quarterly implementation supports were observed. However, adding monthly supports (versus quarterly) for agencies still at risk resulted in higher monthly percent of core ROSE elements sustained and more months ROSE was sustained with fidelity with large (Cohen's d = 0.73 and 0.80) effect sizes, and improved reach over 30 months. Many agencies did not consistently collect PPD rates, making results difficult to interpret. Mean implementation costs (including implementation support and agency staff time) per agency were $1,849 (SD $1,429) for agencies receiving initial implementation support only, $2,699 (SD $1,837) for those receiving initial and quarterly implementation support, and $4,059 (SD $1,763) for those receiving initial, quarterly, and ultimately monthly implementation support.

The cost of agency-wide ROSE implementation is far less than the cost of a single untreated case of PPD ($33,484). We suggest implementing ROSE through thorough training and written sustainment planning. For agencies not sustaining, adding monthly support can promote sustainment and improve reach.

Registered June 14, 2018 at clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03267563 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03267563 ).

Perinatal depression has become a global public health issue with a high prevalence rate. Multiple studies have confirmed the effectiveness of music intervention. Still, the current form of offline intervention ignores issues such as convenient transportation and the stigma of diseases that pregnant women are concerned about, resulting in poor adherence. This randomized controlled study will evaluate the impact of music intervention on depression, anxiety, and stress in perinatal women through the WeChat application. In addition, the usability of the WeChat application and the adherence of PND women will also be evaluated.

This randomized, open, single-center parallel controlled trial randomly divided 110 women with perinatal depression who met the inclusion criteria into a smartphone-based music intervention group and usual care group in a 1:1 ratio. The main outcome measures will consist of EPDS and WeChat application usability score. The secondary outcome measures will consist of GAD-7, CPSS, and Knowledge-Attitude-Practice questionnaire scores.

This study will test the effectiveness of music intervention based on the WeChat application for perinatal depression and the usability of the WeChat application, to provide practical guidance for perinatal mental health care.

This protocol was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trials.gov (Identifier: ChiCTR2400088924) on August 29, 2024.

Postpartum depression interferes with maternal engagement in interventions that are effective in improving infant social-emotional and social-communication outcomes. There is an absence of integrated interventions with demonstrated effectiveness in both reducing maternal depression and promoting parent-mediated practices that optimize infant social-emotional and social-communication competencies. Interventions targeting maternal depression are often separate from parent-mediated interventions. To address the life course needs of depressed mothers and their infants, we need brief, accessible, and integrated interventions that target both maternal depression and specific parent practices shown to improve infant social-emotional and social-communication trajectories.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a mobile internet intervention, Mom and Baby Net, with remote coaching to improve maternal mood and promote parent practices that optimize infant social-emotional and social-communication development.

This is a two-arm, randomized controlled intent-to-treat trial. Primary outcomes include maternal depression symptoms and observed parent and infant behaviors. Outcomes are measured via direct observational assessments and standardized questionnaires. The sample is being recruited from the urban core of a large southern city in the United States. Study enrollment was initiated in 2017 and concluded in 2020. Participants are biological mothers with elevated depression symptoms, aged 18 years or older, and who have custody of an infant less than 12 months of age. Exclusion criteria at the time of screening include maternal homelessness or shelter residence, inpatient mental health or substance abuse treatment, or maternal or infant treatment of a major mental or physical illness that would hinder meaningful study participation.

The start date of this grant-funded randomized controlled trial (RCT) was September 1, 2016. Data collection is ongoing. Following the institutional review board (IRB)-approved pilot work, the RCT was approved by the IRB on November 17, 2017. Recruitment was initiated immediately following IRB approval. Between February 15, 2018, and March 11, 2021, we successfully recruited a sample of 184 women and their infants into the RCT. The sample is predominantly African American and socioeconomically disadvantaged.

Data collection is scheduled to be concluded in March 2022. We anticipate that relative to the attention control condition, which is focused on education around maternal depression and infant developmental milestones with matching technology and coaching structure, mothers in the Mom and Baby Net intervention will experience greater reductions in depression and gains in sensitive and responsive parent practices and that their infants will demonstrate greater gains in social-emotional and social-communication behavior.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03464630; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03464630.

DERR1-10.2196/31072.

In the United States, perinatal depression (PD) affects an estimated 11.5% of pregnant and postpartum individuals annually and is one of the most common complications of pregnancy and the postpartum period. Alarmingly, up to 51% of people with PD are undiagnosed. Despite the availability of tools to screen for PD, there is no consensus on which tool is most accurate, nor is there a universal policy on when and how to best screen patients with PD. Screening to identify PD is essential, but prevention of depression is even more critical, yet traditionally not well addressed until recently with the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation in 2019. When the USPSTF recommended implementing programs to prevent PD in at-risk individuals, the recommendation cited two evidence-based PD prevention programs by name. One of these, ROSE (Reach Out, Stay Strong, Essentials for mothers of newborns), is a four-session class taught in prenatal settings. The second program mentioned is the Mothers and Babies program, which has been shown to be effective in using a cognitive behavioral therapy approach to prevent PD. Although scientists develop effective mental health interventions to prevent PD, community-based advocacy groups are engaged in grassroots efforts to provide support and encouragement to racially and ethnically diverse pregnant and postpartum women. To increase the number of pregnant and postpartum women who are screened and supported so that they do not develop PD, research supports three key strategies: (1) Establish a standard combination of multicultural PD screening tools with evidence-based timepoints for screening administration. (2) Introduce an evidence-based definition of PD that accurately captures the prevalence and incidence of this mental health condition. (3) Improve our understanding of PD by incorporating the psychosocial context in which mental health complications occur into routine clinical practice for pregnant and postpartum women.

This quasi-experimental pilot study describes preliminary impacts of the "Home Visitation Enhancing Linkages Project (HELP)," a pragmatic screen-and-refer approach for promoting identification of and linkage to treatment for maternal depression (MD), substance use (SU), and intimate partner violence (IPV) within early childhood home visiting. HELP includes screening for MD, SU, and IPV followed by a menu of motivational interviewing and case management interventions aimed at linking clients to treatment, designed for delivery within routine home visiting. HELP was piloted within four counties of a statewide home visiting system that were implementing Healthy Families America. HELP clients (N = 394) were compared to clients in five demographically matched counties that received usual Healthy Families services (N = 771) on whether their home visitors (1) identified MD, SU, and IPV risk; (2) discussed MD, SU, and IPV during home visits; and (3) made referrals for MD, SU, and IPV. All data were extracted from the program's management information system. A significant impact of HELP was found on discussion of risk in home visits for all three risk domains with large effect sizes (MD OR = 4.08; SU OR = 15.94; IPV OR = 9.35). HELP had no impact on risk identification and minimal impact on referral. Findings provide preliminary support for HELP as a way of improving discussion of client behavioral health risks during home visits, an important first step toward better meeting these needs within home visiting. However, more intensive intervention is likely needed to impact risk identification and referral outcomes.

More research on sustainment of interventions is needed, especially return on investment (ROI) studies to determine cost-benefit trade-offs for effort required to sustain and how much is gained when effective programs are sustained. The ROSE sustainment (ROSES) study uses a sequential multiple assignment randomized (SMART) design to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a stepwise approach to sustainment of the ROSE postpartum depression prevention program in 90 outpatient clinics providing prenatal care to pregnant women on public assistance. Postpartum depression (PPD) is common and can have lasting consequences. Outpatient clinics offering prenatal care are an opportune place to provide PPD prevention because most women visit while pregnant. The ROSE (Reach Out, Stay Strong, Essentials for mothers of newborns) program is a group educational intervention to prevent PPD, delivered during pregnancy. ROSE has been found to reduce cases of PPD in community prenatal settings serving low-income pregnant women.

All 90 prenatal clinics will receive enhanced implementation as usual (EIAU; initial training + tools for sustainment). At the first time at which a clinic is determined to be at risk for failure to sustain (i.e., at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 months), that clinic will be randomized to receive either (1) no additional implementation support (i.e., EIAU only), or (2) low-intensity coaching and feedback (LICF). If clinics receiving LICF are still at risk at subsequent assessments, they will be randomized to either (1) EIAU + LICF only, or (2) high-intensity coaching and feedback (HICF). Additional follow-up interviews will occur at 18, 24, and 30 months, but no implementation intervention will occur after 18 months. Outcomes include (1) percent sustainment of core program elements at each time point, (2) health impact (PPD rates over time at each clinic) and reach, and (3) ROI (costs and cost-effectiveness) of each sustainment step. Hypothesized mechanisms include sustainment of capacity to deliver core elements and engagement/ownership.

This study is the first randomized trial evaluating the ROI of a stepped approach to sustainment, a critical unanswered question in implementation science. It will also advance knowledge of implementation mechanisms and clinical care for an at-risk population.

Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03267563 . Registered June 14, 2018.

Ten to 15% of mothers experience postpartum depression (PPD). If untreated, PPD may negatively affect mothers' and infants' mental health in the long term. Accordingly, effective treatments are required. In the present study, we investigated the effect of detached mindfulness (DM) and stress management training (SMT) as adjuvants, compared to pharmacologic treatment only, on symptoms of depression in women with PPD. Forty-five primiparae (mean age: M = 24.5 years) with diagnosed PPD and treated with an SSRI (citalopram; CIT) took part in the study. At baseline, they completed questionnaires covering socio-demographic data and symptoms of depression. Experts rated also symptoms of depression. Next, participants were randomly assigned to one of the following study conditions: adjuvant detached mindfulness (CIT+DM); adjuvant stress management training (CIT+SMT); control condition (CIT). Self- and experts' ratings were completed at the end of the study 8 weeks later, and again at 8 weeks follow-up. Symptoms of depression decreased significantly over time, but more so in the CIT+DM and CIT+SMT group, compared to the control condition. The pattern of results remained stable at follow-up. In primiparae with PPD and treated with a standard SSRI, adjuvant psychotherapeutic interventions led to significant and longer-lasting improvements.

Perinatal maternal depression (MD), substance use (SU), and intimate partner violence (IPV) are critical public health concerns with significant negative impacts on child development. Bolstering the capacity of home visiting (HV) programs to address these significant risk factors has potential to improve child and family outcomes. This study presents a description and mixed-methods feasibility evaluation of the "Home Visitation Enhancing Linkages Project (HELP)," a screen-and-refer approach to addressing MD, SU, and IPV within HV aimed at improving risk identification and linkage to treatment among HV clients. HELP was a three-phase intervention that included three evidence-based interventions: screening, motivational interviewing (MI), and case management (CM). This study presents quantitative fidelity data from 21 home visitors reporting on 116 clients in 4 HV programs, as well as qualitative data from structured interviews with 14 home visitors. Nearly all clients were screened and 22% screened positive on at least one risk domain. Rates of MI and CM implementation were lower than expected, however home visitors implemented general supportive interventions at high rates. Home visitor interviews revealed the following factors that may have impacted HELP implementation: client disclosure of risk, barriers to treatment access, systems integration, home visitor role perception, and integration of HELP into the broader HV curriculum. Implications of study findings for the design of future attempts to address maternal risk within HV are discussed.

Substance use and depression are prevalent among mothers enrolled in home visiting programs and are significant risk factors for child maltreatment, yet most home visiting programs are staffed by workers who lack the training and clinical skills to address these risks. Emanating from one state network's interest in advancing its practice in this area, the current study surveyed 159 home visitors on their current practices, training, knowledge, and perceived self‐efficacy, and perceived system‐ and client‐level barriers regarding client substance use and depression. Home visitors reported managing maternal depression more extensively than substance use, though overall management of both risk areas was low. More training was associated with more extensive management of both risk domains, as was greater home visitor knowledge and self‐efficacy. Implications for the development of strategies to improve home visitor management of client behavioral health risks, including enhanced skills‐based training and supervision, are discussed.

Housing instability threatens the health and well-being of millions of families across the United States, yet little is known about the characteristics or housing trajectories of at-risk families. To address this gap in our understanding of family risk for housing instability and homelessness, we undertook a qualitative descriptive study utilizing a convenience sample of 16 mothers recruited from a housing service agency living in Detroit and receiving emergency services to avoid homelessness. Participants completed the Brief Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), then narrated their life events and reasons for housing instability and disclosed desired interventions for homelessness prevention. Data analysis reveals that women experienced high rates of previously undisclosed trauma, broken family relationships, early parenting responsibilities, social isolation, and system failures that contributed to recurrent episodes of housing instability. We argue that housing instability is a symptom of multiple chronic underlying issues that need more than a temporary financial patch.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common complication of childbearing, but the course of PPD is not well understood. We analyze trajectories of depression and key risk factors associated with these trajectories in the peripartum and postpartum period.

Women in The First Baby Study, a cohort of 3006 women pregnant with their first baby, completed telephone surveys measuring depression during the mother's third trimester, and at 1, 6, and 12 months postpartum. Depression was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. A semiparametric mixture model was used to estimate distinct group-based developmental trajectories of depression and determine whether trajectory group membership varied according to maternal characteristics.

A total of 2802 (93%) of mothers completed interviews through 12 months. The mixture model indicated six distinct depression trajectories. A history of anxiety or depression, unattached marital status, and inadequate social support were significantly associated with higher odds of belonging to trajectory groups with greater depression. Most of the depression trajectories were stable or slightly decreased over time, but one depression trajectory, encompassing 1.7% of the mothers, showed women who were nondepressed at the third trimester, but became depressed at 6 months postpartum and were increasingly depressed at 12 months after birth.

This trajectory study indicates that women who are depressed during pregnancy tend to remain depressed during the first year postpartum or improve slightly, but an important minority of women become newly and increasingly depressed over the course of the first year after first childbirth.

The objective of this methodology note is to examine perinatal program evaluation methods as they relate to the life course health development model (LCHD) and risk reduction for poor birth outcomes. We searched PubMed, CDC, ERIC, and a list from the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) to identify sources. We included reports from theory, methodology, program reports, and instruments, as well as reviews of Healthy Start Programs and home visiting. Because our review focused upon evaluation methods we did not include reports that described the Healthy Start Program. The LCHD model demonstrates the non-linear relationships among epigenetic factors and environmental interactions, intentionality or worldview within a values framework, health practices, and observed outcomes in a lifelong developmental health trajectory. The maternal epigenetic and social environment during fetal development sets the stage for the infant's lifelong developmental arc. The LCHD model provides a framework to study challenging maternal child health problems. Research that tracks the long term maternal-infant health developmental trajectory is facilitated by multiple, linked public record systems. Two instruments, the life skills progression instrument and the prenatal risk overview are theoretically consistent with the LCHD and can be adapted for local or population-based use. A figure is included to demonstrate a method of reducing interaction among variables by sample definition. Both in-place local programs and tests of best practices in community-based research are needed to reduce unacceptably high infant mortality. Studies that follow published reporting standards strengthen evidence.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant and common public health problem for women.

To examine the efficacy of an intervention based on the principles of interpersonal therapy (IPT) in reducing the risk of PPD in pregnant women.

Randomized controlled trial of 205 pregnant women who were 18 years old or older, on public assistance, and at risk for PPD. Participants (mean age=23; 38% Hispanic and 23% Black) were randomized to either the IPT group intervention (n=104) or the treatment as usual control (TAU) program (n=101).

At 6 months, the overall depression rate in the intervention group (16%) was lower than the control group (31%) and the effect of the intervention was statistically significant at p<0.05.

It is unknown if findings will generalize to a more heterogeneous sample of women than the current study, such as women from a range of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, or marital status. There was a differential amount of contact between TAU and intervention conditions.

An IPT based intervention during the prenatal period has the potential to reduce cases of PPD within 6 months postpartum in at risk mothers on public assistance.

To examine a wide range of study designs and outcomes to estimate the extent to which interventions in outpatient perinatal care settings are associated with an increase in the uptake of depression care.

PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Scopus (EMBASE) were searched for studies published between 1999 and 2014 that evaluated mental health care use after screening for depression in perinatal care settings.

Inclusion criteria were: 1) English language; 2) pregnant and postpartum women who screened positive for depression; 3) exposure (validated depression screening in outpatient perinatal care setting); and, 4) outcome (mental health care use). Searches yielded 392 articles, 42 met criteria for full-text review, and 17 met inclusion criteria. Study quality was assessed using a modified Downs and Black scale.

Articles were independently reviewed by two abstractors and consensus reached. Study design, intervention components, and mental health care use were defined and categorized. Seventeen articles representing a range of study designs, including one randomized controlled trial and one cluster randomized controlled trial, were included. The average quality rating was 61% (31.0-90.0%). When no intervention was in place, an average of 22% (13.8-33.0%) of women who screened positive for depression had at least one mental health visit. The average rate of mental health care use was associated with a doubling of this rate with patient engagement strategies (44%, 29.0-90.0%), on-site assessments (49%, 25.2-90.0%), and perinatal care provider training (54%, 1.0-90.0%). High rates of mental health care use (81%, 72.0-90.0%) were associated with implementation of additional interventions, including resource provision to women, perinatal care provider training, on-site assessment, and access to mental health consultation for perinatal care providers.

Screening alone was associated with 22% mental health care use among women who screened positive for depression; however, implementation of additional interventions was associated with a two to fourfold increased use of mental health care. Although definitive studies are still needed, screening done in conjunction with interventions that target patient, health care provider, and practice-level barriers is associated with increased improved rates of depression detection, assessment, referral, and treatment in perinatal care settings.

Postpartum depression (PPD) screening at 4 to 12 weeks' postpartum can improve outcomes for women when linked to in-practice management programs. The benefit of repeated PPD screening during the first year postpartum remains unclear.

We report a substudy of a large pragmatic trial of early PPD screening and practice management, the Translating Research into Practice for Postpartum Depression (TRIPPD) study. Outcome analyses were based on demographic information and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) screening scores from questionnaires mailed to all enrolled women at baseline (4 to 12 weeks' postpartum) and again at 6 and at 12 months' postpartum. The main outcomes of this substudy were the 6- and 12-month rates of PHQ-9 scores that were 10 or greater for women whose baseline PHQ-9 scores were less than 10. Women whose scores were 10 or greater would be considered at high risk of PPD and appropriate for further evaluation.

At 6 months, 134 (10.9%) of the 1,235 women who did not have PHQ-9 scores greater than 10 at baseline had elevated scores appropriate for further evaluation. At 12 months, 59 (6.1%) of the 969 women who did not have PHQ-9 scores greater than 10 at baseline or at 6 months had elevated scores. Together the 6- and 12-month repeated screenings identified 193 women at high risk of depression. This finding represents 13.5% of the 1,432 women whose screening results were negative for PPD at baseline.

Repeated PPD screening at 6 and 12 months' postpartum increases the percentage of women identified as being at high risk of PPD. Further work will be required to understand the impact of this repeated screening on patient outcomes.

Healthy Start programs have made tremendous contributions toward improving the health of mothers and infants through the screening and early detection of perinatal depression. In a collaborative partnership with the Dallas Healthy Start (DHS) program, this pilot study investigated rates of follow-up to systematic referrals for the treatment of perinatal depression in the DHS, as well as identified specific barriers and predictors or treatment follow-up. Results of this study support strengthening existing community-based treatment programs for perinatal depression.

Clinical practice guidelines now recommend that women be asked about their past or current mental health as a routine component of maternity care. However, the value of this line of enquiry in increasing engagement with support services, as required, remains controversial.

The current study aimed to examine whether assessment of past or current mental health, received with or without referral for additional support, is associated with help-seeking during pregnancy and the postpartum.

A subsample of women drawn from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (young cohort) who reported experiencing significant emotional distress during pregnancy (N=398) or in the 12 months following birth (N=380) participated in the study.

Multivariate analysis showed that women who were not asked about their emotional health were less likely to seek any formal help during both pregnancy (adjOR=0.09, 95%CI: 0.04-0.24) and the postpartum (adjOR=0.07, 95%CI: 0.02-0.13), as were women who were asked about these issues but who were not referred for additional support (antenatal: adjOR=0.26, 95%CI: 0.15-0.45; postnatal: adjOR=0.14, 95%CI: 0.07-0.27). However, considerable levels of consultation with general practitioners, midwives and child health nurses, even in the absence of referral, were evident.

This study demonstrates that enquiry by a health professional about women's past or current mental health is associated with help-seeking throughout the perinatal period. The clinical and resource implications of these findings for the primary health care sector should be considered prior to the implementation of future routine perinatal depression screening or psychosocial assessment programmes.

There exists little evidence that routine assessment of current or past mental health in the perinatal period positively impacts on rates of referral for emotional health issues. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of this early intervention approach on reported referrals for emotional health issues during pregnancy and the first postpartum year.

A subsample of women (N = 1,804) drawn from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health participated in the study.

Multivariate analyses showed that predictors of being given a referral for emotional health issues during pregnancy and the postnatal period, respectively, included assessment of past mental health (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 4.40, p < 0.001, and AOR = 5.69, p < 0.001), assessment of current mental health (AOR = 2.47, p < 0.001, and AOR = 2.72, p < 0.001), and reported experience of significant emotional distress (AOR = 2.58, p < 0.001, and AOR = 2.83, p < 0.001). The odds of receiving a referral were up to 16 times greater for women who were asked about both their past and current mental health than for women who did not receive any form of mental health assessment.

This study highlights that enquiry into risk factors such as past history (in addition to current mental health) enhances initiation of referrals. Importantly, results suggest that enquiry about current mental health is associated with appropriate rates of referral rather than a nonspecific inflation of referrals. In line with Australia's Clinical Practice Guidelines for Perinatal Mental Health, the value of a comprehensive approach to mental health assessment to aid decision making around referral for further assessment or care is particularly evident.

The mainstays of treatment for peripartum depression are psychotherapy and antidepressant medications. More research is needed to understand which treatments are safe, preferable, and effective. Postpartum depression, now termed peripartum depression by the DSM-V, is one of the most common complications in the postpartum period and has potentially significant negative consequences for mothers and their families. This article highlights common clinical challenges in the treatment of peripartum depression and reviews the evidence for currently available treatment options. Psychotherapy is the first-line treatment option for women with mild to moderate peripartum depression. Antidepressant medication in combination with therapy is recommended for women with moderate to severe depression. Although pooled case reports and small controlled studies have demonstrated undetectable infant serum levels and no short-term adverse events in infants of mothers breastfeeding while taking sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil), further research is needed including larger samples and long-term follow-up of infants exposed to antidepressants via breastfeeding controlling for maternal depression. Pharmacologic treatment recommendations for women who are lactating must include discussion with the patient regarding the benefits of breastfeeding, risks of antidepressant use during lactation, and risks of untreated illness. There is a growing evidence base for nonpharmacologic interventions including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, which may offer an attractive option for women who wish to continue to breastfeed and are concerned about their infants being exposed to medication. Among severe cases of peripartum depression with psychosis, referral to a psychiatrist or psychiatric advanced practice registered nurse is warranted. Suicidal or homicidal ideation with a desire, intent, or plan to harm oneself or anyone else, including the infant, is a psychiatric emergency, and an evaluation by a mental health professional should be conducted immediately. Peripartum depression treatment research is limited by small sample sizes and few controlled studies. Much work is still needed to better understand which treatments women prefer and are the most effective in ameliorating the symptoms and disease burden associated with peripartum depression.

Yes. Evidence suggests that screening new moms for depression leads to better outcomes, and should be routine.

The mainstays of treatment for peripartum depression are psychotherapy and antidepressant medications. More research is needed to understand which treatments are safe, preferable, and effective. Postpartum depression, now termed peripartum depression by the DSM-V, is one of the most common complications in the postpartum period and has potentially significant negative consequences for mothers and their families. This article highlights common clinical challenges in the treatment of peripartum depression and reviews the evidence for currently available treatment options. Psychotherapy is the first-line treatment option for women with mild to moderate peripartum depression. Antidepressant medication in combination with therapy is recommended for women with moderate to severe depression. Although pooled case reports and small controlled studies have demonstrated undetectable infant serum levels and no short-term adverse events in infants of mothers breastfeeding while taking sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil), further research is needed including larger samples and long-term follow-up of infants exposed to antidepressants via breastfeeding controlling for maternal depression. Pharmacologic treatment recommendations for women who are lactating must include discussion with the patient regarding the benefits of breastfeeding, risks of antidepressant use during lactation, and risks of untreated illness. There is a growing evidence base for nonpharmacologic interventions including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, which may offer an attractive option for women who wish to continue to breastfeed and are concerned about their infants being exposed to medication. Among severe cases of peripartum depression with psychosis, referral to a psychiatrist or psychiatric advanced practice registered nurse is warranted. Suicidal or homicidal ideation with a desire, intent, or plan to harm oneself or anyone else, including the infant, is a psychiatric emergency, and an evaluation by a mental health professional should be conducted immediately. Peripartum depression treatment research is limited by small sample sizes and few controlled studies. Much work is still needed to better understand which treatments women prefer and are the most effective in ameliorating the symptoms and disease burden associated with peripartum depression.

Accumulating research documenting the prevalence and negative effects of perinatal depression, together with highly publicized tragic critical incidents of suicide and filicide by mothers with postpartum psychosis, have fueled a continuum of legislation. Specialists in perinatal mental health should recognize how their work influences legislative initiatives and penal codes, and take this into consideration when developing perinatal services and research. Yet, without legal expertise, the status of legislative initiatives can be confusing. To address this shortfall, we assembled an interdisciplinary team of academics specializing in law, as well as perinatal mental health, to summarize these issues. This review presents the relevant federal and state legislation and summarizes the criminal codes that governed the court decisions on cases in which a mother committed filicide because of postpartum psychosis. Moreover, the review aims to help researchers and providers who specialize in perinatal depression understand their role in this legal landscape.

In 2001, Healthy Start was required to screen for maternal depression. To support this mandate, technical assistance (TA) consultations were provided to eleven programs. Participant evaluations assessed TA recipients' views, a foundational level of program evaluation. Staff evaluated TA presentations immediately; and directors assessed its helpfulness in a 6-month and a 5-year follow-up. Staff believed their knowledge increased significantly; the majority rated TA presentations as "useful" to "very useful." Most directors rated TA as "useful" or "very useful" in achieving TA goals, reported having "few" or "no" obstacles in screening, and rated staff as "willing" or "very willing" to screen. A range of educational programs have been developed to assist the implementation of maternal depression screening. The current evaluation indicates that diverse types of programs held positive views of TA consultation and believed it was effective. The success of the method argues for further development.

In integrated care, a person will have his or her medical and behavioral health needs addressed within one health care system. Support for integrated models has grown with the increasing awareness of how the medical comorbidities of individuals with serious mental illness contribute to their morbidity and mortality, the prevalence of mental health problems in the general population, and the mental health issues among those with chronic medical problems. The enactment of effective integrated care will demand developing clinicians who are trained to work with mental health needs at various levels of intensity, who are capable of addressing complex comorbidities, and who operate from a person-centered approach to care. In this light we argue that given their unique skill set and clinical training, Psychiatric-Mental Health Advanced Practice Nurses could play a critical role in integrated care and present policy recommendations which support the development of the Psychiatric-Mental Health Advanced Practice Nurses role in such models.

Risk of antenatal depression has been shown to be elevated in Southern Africa and can impact maternal and child outcomes, especially in the context of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Brief screening methods may optimize access to care during pregnancy, particularly where resources are scarce. This research evaluated shorter versions of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to detect antenatal depression. This cross-sectional study at a large primary health care (PHC) facility recruited a consecutive series of 109 antenatal attendees in rural South Africa. Women were in the second half of pregnancy and completed the EPDS and Structured Clinical Interview for Depression (SCID). The recommended EPDS cutoff (≥13) was used to determine probable depression. Four versions, including the 10-item scale, seven-item depression, and novel three- and five-item versions developed through regression analysis, were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. High numbers of women 51/109 (47 %) were depressed, most depression was chronic, and nearly half of the women were HIV positive 49/109 (45 %). The novel three-item version had improved positive predictive value (PPV) over the 10-item version and equivalent specificity to the seven-item depression subscale; the novel five-item provided the best overall performance in terms of ROC and Cronbach's reliability statistics and had improved specificity. The brevity, sensitivity, and reliability of the short and ultrashort versions could facilitate widespread community screening. The usefulness of the novel three- and five-item versions are underscored by the fact that sensitivity is important at first screening, while specificity becomes more important at higher levels of care. Replication in larger samples is required.

Depression is a frequent accompaniment of the perinatal period. Although screening improves detection of perinatal depression, it does not in itself improve mental health treatment entry and, therefore, does not improve outcomes. This study addresses the feasibility of incorporating diagnostic assessment for depression directly into perinatal care visits and the influence of doing so on entry into mental health treatment.

The Perinatal Depression Management Program was implemented in an urban community health center serving a predominantly Hispanic population. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was administered during perinatal visits. Positive screens (scores ≥10) were followed within the same visit by brief diagnostic assessment and engagement strategies. Chart review was conducted to compare rates of screening, assessment, and treatment entry during a 3-month baseline period before implementation of the intervention (n=141) with a 1-year period after implementation of the intervention (n=400).

Before the intervention, 65.2% of patients completed a PHQ-9, and 10% of patients with positive screens received on-site assessment. None of the patients with identified perinatal depression entered treatment. After model implementation, significantly more (93.5%) completed a PHQ-9, and of patients with positive screens, 84.8% received an on-site assessment. Among patients diagnosed with major depression and offered treatment, 90% entered treatment.

It is feasible to implement diagnostic assessment for depression within perinatal clinic visits. Doing so may substantially increase entry into mental health treatment for women with perinatal major depression while reducing unnecessary mental health referral of patients with false positive screens.

The value and appropriateness of universal postpartum depression (PPD) screening remains controversial in the United States. To date, several PPD screening programs have been introduced and a few have been evaluated. Among those programs that have been evaluated, most report screening rates, diagnosis rates, or treatment initiation rates. Only four studies included patient outcomes such as the level of depressive symptoms at 6 to 12 months postpartum, and only two reported success in improving outcomes. Program characteristics that appear to result in low rates of diagnosis and followup after PPD screening include requirements for a formal psychiatric evaluation, the need to refer women to another site for therapy, and failure to integrate the PPD screening into the care provided at the woman's or her child's medical home. The two programs that reported improved outcomes were both self-contained within primary care and included specific followup, management, and therapy procedures. Both resulted in the need for outside referrals in less than 10% of women diagnosed with postpartum depression. Future studies should be based on the successful programs and their identified facilitators while avoiding identified barriers. To affect policies, the future program must report maternal outcomes going beyond the often reported process outcomes of screening, referral, and therapy initiation rates.

Postpartum depression is common but inadequately recognized and undertreated. Continuing depressive symptoms are associated with adverse outcomes for the woman, her infant, and family. We wanted to determine the effect of a practice-based training program for screening, diagnosis, and management of depression in postpartum mothers.

In this practice-based effectiveness study, 28 practices were randomized to usual care (n = 14) or intervention (n = 14), and 2,343 women were enrolled between 5 and 12 weeks' postpartum. The intervention sites received education and tools for postpartum depression screening, diagnosis, initiation of therapy, and follow-up within their practices. Usual-care practices received a 30-minute presentation about postpartum depression. Screening information for the usual care was obtained from baseline surveys sent directly to the central site but was not available for patient care. Outcomes were based on patient-reported outcomes (level of depressive symptoms) from surveys at 6 and 12 months, plus medical record review (diagnosis and therapy initiation).

Among the 2,343 women enrolled, 1,897 (80.1%) provided outcome information, and were included in the analysis. Overall, 654 (34.5% of 1,897) women had elevated screening scores indicative of depression, with comparable rates in the intervention and usual-care groups. Among the 654 women with elevated postpartum depression screening scores, those in the intervention practices were more likely to receive a diagnosis (P = .0006) and therapy for postpartum depression (P = .002). They also had lower depressive symptom levels at 6 (P = .07) and 12 months' (P=.001) postpartum.

Primary care-based screening, diagnosis, and management improved mother's depression outcomes at 12 months. This practical approach could be implemented widely with modest resources.

This study was developed to evaluate the feasibility of implementing systematic depression screening in a large obstetric practice and to evaluate the degree that detection and referral led to linkage with behavioral healthcare. Depression screening was conducted using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, administered at the initial pregnancy care appointment. Patients at or above a predetermined score of 14 were advised to seek further behavioral health assessment through the patient's behavioral healthcare coverage. Within 4 weeks of screening, those referred were contacted by telephone, by clinic staff, to determine whether they had pursued behavioral healthcare as recommended. Limited available data for newly established postdelivery screening were similarly evaluated. All 2,199 newly presenting pregnant women who were seen in our obstetric clinics from September 2008 to May 2009 were screened for depression, and 102 (4.6%) scored at or above an EPDS of 14. Follow-up calls revealed that none had pursued further behavioral health assessments. Of these 2,199, screening and follow-up data were available for 569 women at their 6-week postdelivery visit. Of these, 28 (4.9%) were above EPDS of 14, and 5 (17.9%) reported pursuit of further behavioral healthcare following screening and referral. Peripartum depression can be addressed with systematic screening, and the electronic medical record can readily be used to monitor results. Detection and referral at the beginning of pregnancy did not lead to intended linkage with behavioral healthcare, but detection and referral postdelivery had a modest influence. Barriers to pursuing behavioral healthcare need to be discovered and addressed.

The authors of this study collaborated in the analysis of public health survey data in order to inform future statewide interventions that could systematically enhance depression screening and mental health service use for women of reproductive age. The primary objective of the study was to empirically inform and test the program theory components of a motivational interviewing intervention that we anticipate will guide statewide practice and policy priorities.

Data were examined from a survey of healthcare practitioners statewide (n=1498) regarding their practices with and perceptions of perinatal depression care for women. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to measure two latent constructs: health provider confidence in the ability to diagnose and treat and the importance placed on screening and treatment. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test a program theory supporting motivational interviewing using a model implied relationship between confidence and importance on screening and treatment/referral practices.

The data fit the model; the model provisionally supports motivational interviewing as an intervention influencing provider attitudes and practices surrounding perinatal depression screening and treatment/referral.

Ultimately, study findings support statewide public health efforts to expand the role of health providers in recognizing and responding to perinatal depression and suggest that motivational interviewing techniques that augment importance and confidence may lead to enhanced screening and referral/treatment outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women.

Identification and treatment of postpartum depression are the increasing focus of state and national legislation, including portions of the Affordable Care Act. Some state policies and proposals are modeled directly on programs in New Jersey, the first state to require universal screening for postpartum depression among mothers who recently delivered babies. We examined the impact of these policies on a particularly vulnerable population, Medicaid recipients, and found that neither the required screening nor the educational campaign that preceded it was associated with improved treatment initiation, follow-up, or continued care. We argue that New Jersey's policies, although well intentioned, were predicated on an inadequate base of evidence and that efforts should now be undertaken to build that base. We also argue that to improve detection and treatment, policy makers contemplating or implementing postpartum depression mandates should consider additional measures. These could include requiring mechanisms to monitor and enforce the screening requirement; paying providers to execute screening and follow-up; and preliminary testing of interventions before policy changes are enacted.

To investigate the proportion of original studies included in systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the diagnostic accuracy of screening tools for depression that appropriately exclude patients who already have a diagnosis of or are receiving treatment for depression and to determine whether these systematic reviews and meta-analyses evaluate possible bias from the inclusion of such patients.

Systematic review.

Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, ISI, SCOPUS, and Cochrane databases were searched from 1 January 2005 to 29 October 2009.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses in any language that reported on the diagnostic accuracy of screening tools for depression.

Only eight of 197 (4%) unique publications from 17 systematic reviews and meta-analyses specifically excluded patients who already had a diagnosis of or were receiving treatment for depression. No systematic reviews or meta-analyses commented on possible bias from the inclusion of such patients, even though 10 reviews used quality assessment tools with items to rate risk of bias from composition of the sample of patients.

Studies of the accuracy of screening tools for depression rarely exclude patients who already have a diagnosis of or are receiving treatment for depression, a potential bias that is not evaluated in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. This could result in inflated estimates of accuracy on which clinical practice and preventive care guidelines are often based, a problem that takes on greater importance as the rate of diagnosed and treated depression in the population increases.

This case report describes the development and implementation of the Train-the-Trainer: Maternal Depression Screening Program (TTT), a novel approach to disseminating perinatal depression screening. We trained screeners according to a standard pyramid scheme of train-the-trainer programs: three experts trained representatives from health care agencies (the TTT trainers), who in turn trained their staff and implemented depression screening at their home agencies. The TTT trainers had little or no prior mental health experience so "enhanced" components were added to ensure thorough instruction. Although TTT was implemented primarily as a services project, we evaluated both the statewide dissemination and the screening rates achieved by TTT programs. Thirty-two social service or health agencies implemented maternal depression screening in 20 counties throughout Iowa; this reached 58.2% of the Iowa population. For the 16 agencies that provided screening data, the average screening rate (number of women screened/number eligible to be screened) for the first 3 months of screening was 73.2%, 80.5% and 79.0%. We compared screening rates of our TTT programs with those of Healthy Start, a program in which screening was established via an intensive consultation model. We found the screening rates in 62.5% of TTT agencies were comparable to those in Healthy Start. Our "enhanced" train-the-trainer method is a promising approach for broadly implementing depression-screening programs in agencies serving pregnant and postpartum women.

There are limited studies of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) across pregnancy.

Women (n = 2793) were enrolled in the Yale Pink and Blue study, a cohort enriched with subjects who suffered from major depressive disorder (MDD) within the past five years or used antidepressants in the past year. Subjects were evaluated with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview at three time points: twice in pregnancy and once after delivery. We defined a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) episode as per DSM IV but with required duration reduced to one month or longer. Course and correlates of GAD were examined in women who had: 1) no GAD during the 6 months prior or in pregnancy (Group A), 2) GAD in the 6 months prior to but not in pregnancy (Group B), 3) GAD in pregnancy only (Group C) and 4) GAD both in the 6 months prior to and during pregnancy (Group D).

9.5% of the cohort suffered from GAD at some point in pregnancy. Anxiety symptoms were highest in the first trimester and decreased across pregnancy. Regression analysis revealed that previous GAD episodes, education, social support and a history of child abuse distinguished between membership in the four groups.

The sample may not be representational, as it was enhanced with those at risk, and had relatively low representation of socio-economically disadvantaged women.

Identification of anxious patients during pregnancy may provide an opportunity to engage those in need of psychiatric treatment.

The impact of maternal depression on women and their families has been well documented. Given the prevalence and impact of this problem, one important strategy is to strengthen and expand our public health approaches. Although principles of social epidemiology are increasingly used in the field of maternal and child health, few public health efforts to address maternal mental health have incorporated ecosocial frameworks such as community connectedness, quality of social relationships, and social capital. One method to augment current public health approaches to maternal depression is through the incorporation of a perspective focusing on community, cohesion, group membership, and connectedness--a concept often described as social capital. We describe the relevance of this ecosocial perspective for mental health promotion programs for mothers.

Given the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes associated with a depressive disorder, the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) from 2001-2005 devoted resources through the Federal Healthy Start Initiative to screen pregnant women for depression and link them with services. In this report, we present the evaluation of a program that screened for depression and provided services for women with depressive symptoms or psychiatric distress in pregnancy to assess whether the program was associated with a reduction in babies born low birth weight, small for gestational age, or preterm. The program impact was examined among 1,100 women in three cohorts enrolled from 2001-2005 that included: (1) subjects recruited prior to the inception of the Healthy Start Initiative; (2) subjects enrolled in the Healthy Start Initiative; and (3) a comparison group recruited during the project period but not enrolled in the Healthy Start Initiative. After adjustment for covariates, women with probable depression were over one and a half times more likely to give birth to a preterm baby than non depressed women. Neither adjusted nor unadjusted risks for delivery of preterm, low birth weight or small for gestational age infants were significantly lower for women enrolled in Healthy Start as compared to women not enrolled in Healthy Start. However, regardless of enrollment in Healthy Start, women who delivered babies after the Healthy Start program began were 85% less likely to deliver preterm babies than women giving birth before the program began. Depression status conferred increased risk of adverse birth outcomes, results that were not altered by participation in the Healthy Start program. We cannot exclude the possibility that the community activities of the Healthy Start program promoted increased attention to health issues among depressed women and hence enhance birth outcomes.

Long-term follow-up studies are required to better understand the extent of the effectiveness of early detection programs for perinatal depression. We followed up participants in such a program to investigate the long-term depression, treatment and relationship outcomes of mothers originally identified as 'probably depressed' (screened positive).

At 2 years postpartum all participants who had 'screened positive' (N=159) and a random sample of participants who had 'screened negative' were invited to participate in a mailed survey. Measures included: current mood; coping; access to treatment; quality of partner relationship; and mother-infant bonding.

Mothers originally detected as probably depressed (n=98) fared significantly worse than 'screened negative' mothers (n=101) both in terms of their higher mean depression scores (EPDS: Ms=11.0 vs. 6.4) and greater proportions categorised as probably depressed at 2 years postpartum (40% vs. 11% respectively, p<.001, phi=.33). Elevated depression symptoms at 2 years postpartum were associated with poorer partner relationships and mother-infant bonding. Moreover, there appears to be a double dose effect for women who screen positive on two occasions. Thirty-seven percent of depressed mothers did not take up treatment, frequently citing a preference for using their own resources.

Limitations include the use of self-report measures to assess depression symptoms and mother-infant bonding. Treatment data was collected retrospectively.

Despite being offered treatment options, a substantial proportion of women who screened positive had poor long-term mental health and relationship outcomes. This paper discusses some of the implications for perinatal early detection and treatment programs.

Postpartum depression is a serious and common psychiatric illness. Mothers living in poverty are more likely to be depressed and have greater barriers to accessing treatment than the general population. Mental health utilization is particularly limited for women with postpartum depression and low-income, minority women. As part of an academic-community partnership, focus groups were utilized to examine staff practices, barriers, and facilitators in mental health referrals for women with depression within a community nonprofit agency serving low-income pregnant and postpartum women. The focus groups were analyzed through content analyses and NVIVO-8. Three focus groups with 16 community health workers were conducted. Six themes were identified: (1) screening and referral, (2) facilitators to referral, (3) barriers to referral, (4) culture and language, (5) life events, and (6) support. The study identified several barriers and facilitators for referring postpartum women with depression to mental health services.

Depression, anxiety and somatization are the most common mental disorders in primary care as well as medical specialty populations; each is present in at least 5-10% of patients and frequently comorbid with one another. An efficient means for measuring and monitoring all three conditions would be desirable.

Evidence regarding the psychometric and pragmatic characteristics of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)-7 anxiety and PHQ-15 somatic symptom scales are synthesized from two sources: (1) four multisite cross-sectional studies (three conducted in primary care and one in obstetric-gynecology practices) comprising 9740 patients, and (2) key studies from the literature that have studied these scales.

The PHQ-9 and its abbreviated eight-item (PHQ-8) and two-item (PHQ-2) versions have good sensitivity and specificity for detecting depressive disorders. Likewise, the GAD-7 and its abbreviated two-item (GAD-2) version have good operating characteristics for detecting generalized anxiety, panic, social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. The optimal cutpoint is > or = 10 on the parent scales (PHQ-9 and GAD-7) and > or = 3 on the ultra-brief versions (PHQ-2 and GAD-2). The PHQ-15 is equal or superior to other brief measures for assessing somatic symptoms and screening for somatoform disorders. Cutpoints of 5, 10 and 15 represent mild, moderate and severe symptom levels on all three scales. Sensitivity to change is well-established for the PHQ-9 and emerging albeit not yet definitive for the GAD-7 and PHQ-15.

The PHQ-9, GAD-7 and PHQ-15 are brief well-validated measures for detecting and monitoring depression, anxiety and somatization.