We researched postpartum depression for different screenings and interventions that could reduce the incidence of postpartum depression occurring in perinatal women in the United States. We collected 10 scholarly articles with evidence ranging from level 1 to level 5. We decided to research this because there is currently no intervention or screenings implemented into clinical practice as a basis of standard care. One of our major findings is that about 50% of postpartum depression cases go undetected, so improving screening and education in women is very important (Di Florio, 2017). We researched different stressors and demographic risk factors that could be used to screen women for symptoms of postpartum depression as well as implementing different medications to help women suffering from maternal depression. A lot of the studies done in our articles were questionnaires with random control trials and systematic reviews. In conclusion, from our collaborative research, it is evident that screenings are the best way to identify postpartum depression in perinatal women and medications are still being evaluated for effective use in clinical practice. It is important to implement and further research medications to help mothers who struggle from postpartum depression as they are continuing to suffer. Additionally, it is significant to further educate health care professionals and perinatal women on the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression so that it can be detected early on through screenings, which would improve the quality of life for the mother and the baby postpartum. Overall, postpartum depression is an ongoing crisis in society and screenings and medication research needs to be implemented into clinical practice to make a positive change for these perinatal women.
Authors: Brynn Kozarec, Courtney Hudson, Emma Lodino, Jonathan Harris, and Natalee Bish
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Eyad Musallam, Department of Nursing
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