Post-partum depression is a serious problem for many women. It’s estimated that up to 15 percent of new mothers suffer from depression at some point in their child’s first year of life – episodes that affect their ability to function in everyday life and can also have serious consequences for their children.
Now a new systematic review looks at all of the evidence on post partum depression – the incidence, the accuracy of screening tools, and the effectiveness of treatment programs.
The review identified 30 studies that looked at the prevalence of post partum depression. It found 8.5 percent to 11.0 percent of women suffer from depression during pregnancy and 6.5 percent to 12.9 percent during the first year after birth – about half with serious symptoms.
The review found 10 studies that investigated the accuracy of screening tests for postpartum depression.. The evidence showed screening instruments are generally good at identifying major depression alone, but not as helpful at identifying minor depression.
The evidence on interventions to treat post-partum depression are mixed. Six of nine studies of interventions found significant improvement in depression, and two studies of prescription medicines yielded mixed results.
One of the most notable conclusions from the analysis is the prevalence of other psychological disorders during the first year after birth. New mothers often face anxiety, bipolar disorder, and OCD in the first year postpartum. For example, 11 percent of postpartum women experienced symptoms of OCD, which is four times the rate of the general population.
The review is an important one because it shares the facts about an understudied and often-misunderstood condition. It concludes that depression is one of the most common complications following childbirth, and identifies the need for more comprehensive research on screening tools and treatments.
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