Understanding and addressing antenatal depression management in the high risk obstetrics care setting
Abstract Obstetricians have both an obligation and opportunity to manage mental health disorders in pregnancy. We aimed to characterize existing screening and management practices and to recommend systems-level solutions to address gaps in perinatal depression care. In this retrospective cohort stud...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Series: | npj Women's Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44294-025-00067-x |
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| author | Allison Chu Alexis French Sarah Dotters-Katz John Nathan Copeland Gary Maslow |
| author_facet | Allison Chu Alexis French Sarah Dotters-Katz John Nathan Copeland Gary Maslow |
| author_sort | Allison Chu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Obstetricians have both an obligation and opportunity to manage mental health disorders in pregnancy. We aimed to characterize existing screening and management practices and to recommend systems-level solutions to address gaps in perinatal depression care. In this retrospective cohort study of 5313 patients, 1421 had any PHQ-9 screen during pregnancy. In 76 pregnancy episodes of patients who had a positive depression screen (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10), 81.6% (n = 62) of screenings were completed in the first trimester and interventions were provided for 65.8% (n = 50). Antidepressants were started in 11 pregnancies; of those, 54.5% (n = 6) and 90.9% (n = 10) did not have a validated screening at the time of starting medication and during follow-up, respectively. The study revealed gaps in utilization of validated tools to identify and manage perinatal depression and highlights the need for improved partnerships between obstetricians and psychiatric specialists. Adapting the collaborative care model to address the unique needs of high-risk obstetric patients emerges as a potential solution. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bc6142bf461f40a0a0937da99eb7a886 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2948-1716 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Women's Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-bc6142bf461f40a0a0937da99eb7a8862025-08-20T02:54:39ZengNature Portfolionpj Women's Health2948-17162025-02-01311710.1038/s44294-025-00067-xUnderstanding and addressing antenatal depression management in the high risk obstetrics care settingAllison Chu0Alexis French1Sarah Dotters-Katz2John Nathan Copeland3Gary Maslow4Duke University School of MedicineDuke University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesDuke University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal MedicineDuke University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesDuke University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesAbstract Obstetricians have both an obligation and opportunity to manage mental health disorders in pregnancy. We aimed to characterize existing screening and management practices and to recommend systems-level solutions to address gaps in perinatal depression care. In this retrospective cohort study of 5313 patients, 1421 had any PHQ-9 screen during pregnancy. In 76 pregnancy episodes of patients who had a positive depression screen (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10), 81.6% (n = 62) of screenings were completed in the first trimester and interventions were provided for 65.8% (n = 50). Antidepressants were started in 11 pregnancies; of those, 54.5% (n = 6) and 90.9% (n = 10) did not have a validated screening at the time of starting medication and during follow-up, respectively. The study revealed gaps in utilization of validated tools to identify and manage perinatal depression and highlights the need for improved partnerships between obstetricians and psychiatric specialists. Adapting the collaborative care model to address the unique needs of high-risk obstetric patients emerges as a potential solution.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44294-025-00067-x |
| spellingShingle | Allison Chu Alexis French Sarah Dotters-Katz John Nathan Copeland Gary Maslow Understanding and addressing antenatal depression management in the high risk obstetrics care setting npj Women's Health |
| title | Understanding and addressing antenatal depression management in the high risk obstetrics care setting |
| title_full | Understanding and addressing antenatal depression management in the high risk obstetrics care setting |
| title_fullStr | Understanding and addressing antenatal depression management in the high risk obstetrics care setting |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding and addressing antenatal depression management in the high risk obstetrics care setting |
| title_short | Understanding and addressing antenatal depression management in the high risk obstetrics care setting |
| title_sort | understanding and addressing antenatal depression management in the high risk obstetrics care setting |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44294-025-00067-x |
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