Education
Intervention and treatment of PPMD requires education and screening.
Communities, as well as individuals, must be educated in regard to risk factors,
symptoms, and etiology of PPMD. Education about PPMD begins with
awareness. This can be possible through prenatal classes, physician offices, health
clinics, and media blitzes. Education is provided on two levels, with the
individual and her community and the health care professional.
Community education can be accomplished by newspaper articles,
women’s health newsletters, and community lectures (Straub et al., 1998).
Ugarriza (2002) suggests emphasizing the roles of family members in helping
new mothers gain rest and support. Baker et al. (2002) recommend including
family members or significant others in the educational process. They also state
that education regarding PPMD should be a routine part of every patient’s
antepartum care.
Research has shown that education reduces the incidence of PPMD and
lowers screening scores. Seeman (2001) found that no women enrolled in the
course, Survival Skills for New Moms, developed postpartum depression
compared to 33% in the control group who did not attend the class but did
develop depression. Findings of a study in Taiwan among 500 women who were screened for postpartum depression indicated that informational support about
PPMD given to women may contribute to lower scores on screening than those
who did not receive the informational support (Heh & Fu, 2003).
Some states have taken the initiative to provide resources for those
diagnosed with a PPMD. The state of Texas, through the passage of House Bill
341 in 2003, requires physicians, midwives, hospitals, and birthing centers to
provide pregnant patients with a PPMD resource list. This should be documented
in the patient chart (Texas Department of Health, 2003). The Texas Department of
Mental Health (TDMH ) (2003) provides healthcare providers and families with
tips on dealing with depression. Through its website, TDMH suggests that when
working with a depressed family member or friend it is important to keep routines
as normal as possible even if the family member does not want to participate in
the routine. TDMH goes on to recommend that family members become role
models by seeking help if experiencing any mental problems and joining a
support group in order to talk with others experiencing the same problems.
Healthcare providers require more in depth knowledge relating to the
screening, identification, and interventions of PPMD. Recognition of symptoms
and intervention early in the pregnancy may improve postpartum outcomes. In
order for this to occur, professional organizations such as the American Medical
Association and the American Nurses Association must take a proactive step in
setting guidelines and standards for practice relating to early identification and
implementation of care in postpartum mood disorders. Screening of only those
women who present with symptoms may leave many undiagnosed and untreated.
It is recommended that all women be provided information regarding PPMD in
the third trimester of pregnancy and sooner if at risk (ACOG and AAP, 2002).