A 24-year-old who delivered her first baby 5 weeks ago calls your office and asks to speak to you. She states that she is feeling very overwhelmed and anxious about taking care of her newborn son. She feels she cannot do anything right, and feels sad throughout the day. She tells you that she cries on most days, and is having difficulty sleeping at night. She also states she doesn’t feel like eating or doing any of her normal activities. She reports no suicidal or homicidal ideation.
Which of the following accurately describes this patient’s condition?
A. A history of depression is not a risk factor for developing postpartum depressionPatients at high risk for postpartum depression often have a history of depression or postpartum depression. They are more likely to be primiparous or older; they may have had a long interval between pregnancies or an unplanned pregnancy or be without a supportive partner. Other risk factors include experiencing a stressful life event during pregnancy or early postpartum period, a traumatic birth experience, having a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit, or breastfeeding problems. ACOG recommends that all women be screened during the perinatal period with a validated, standardized assessment tool such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Recent evidence suggests that collaborative care models improve long-term patient outcomes; this may involve medical therapy, social work, psychotherapy, and support under the supervision of a mental health specialist. Prenatal intervention must include the obstetric team, with family or peer support when possible. Postpartum depression is variable in duration, but occasionally will not resolve without intervention such as therapy, medication, or in rare cases, hospitalization.