If you are screening a woman who seems to have symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD or OCD and yet she does not score “high enough” on the EPDS, try to engage her about this. Many women who are experiencing symptoms of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) will not answer truthfully for fear of her child being removed from her care or some other stigma associated with mental health issues. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) is not foolproof.

As obstetricians and pediatricians come into the most regular contact with postpartum women, here are 5 things to remember when screening or helping to treat women with Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders:ġ. We know that 1 in 5 women are diagnosed with mood disorders in the postpartum setting, and many struggle throughout their pregnancies as well. This speaks to the universality of the transition to motherhood and also its challenges. However, I have found that there are common themes from the beginning of a woman’s fertility journey to the postpartum period. It is probably the most vulnerable time in a woman’s life, and women have such diverse responses given their respective demographics and backgrounds. As one of the facilitators of the postpartum support group “The Afterglow”, I hear many different versions of women struggling in the postpartum setting. In my work at the UCSF Pregnancy and Postpartum Mood Assessment Clinic, I see patients who are in all stages of their fertility, pregnancy and postpartum journey.

Pregnancy moods