Postpartum Depression Screening in Mothers and Fathers at Well-child Visits: a Feasibility Study Within the NASCITA Cohort

Overview

Journal BMJ Open

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2023 Jun 24

PMID 37355274

Authors

Giulia Segre

Antonio Clavenna

Massimo Cartabia

Maurizio Bonati

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the feasibility of the family paediatrician's (FP) role in identifying the signs of postpartum depression in parents in time to guarantee child well-being.

Design, Setting And Participants: Data for this observational prospective study were collected within the NASCITA (NAscere e creSCere in ITAlia) cohort. During the first visit, paediatricians collected sociodemographic data regarding the parents and information about their health status, the pregnancy and the delivery. Whooley questions were administered during the first and second visits (scheduled 60-90 days after childbirth). Moreover, on the third visit (5-7 months after childbirth) the FP was asked to answer 'yes' or 'no' to a question on the parental postpartum depression, based on his knowledge and on the acquired information.

Results: In 2203 couples who completed the assessment, 529 mothers (19.9%), 141 fathers (6.3%) and 110 (5%) couples reported any depressive symptomatology. Of these, 141 mothers (5.3% of the total sample) and 18 fathers (0.8% of the total sample) were classified as 'likely depressed'. An association was found between maternal postnatal depressive symptoms and having a diagnosed psychiatric disorder during pregnancy (OR 9.49, 95% CI: 3.20 to 28.17), not exclusively breastfeeding at hospital discharge (OR 1.76, 95% CI: 1.19 to 2.61) and the presence of child sleeping disorders at 3 (OR 2.46, 95% CI: 1.41 to 4.28) and 6 months (OR 2.18, 95% CI: 1.37 to 3.47). Another significant predictor of postpartum depression was being primiparous (OR 1.99, 95% CI: 1.31 to 3.02). Concerning the fathers, a significant association was reported only between likely depressed fathers and child sleeping disorders at 3 months (OR 7.64, 95% CI: 2.92 to 19.97). Moreover, having a likely depressed partner was strongly associated with depressive symptoms in fathers (OR 85.53, 95% CI 26.83 to 272.69).

Conclusions: The findings of this study support the feasibility of an active screening programme for parental postnatal depression during well-child visits as an integral part of postpartum care.

Trial Registration Number: NCT03894566; Pre-results.

Citing Articles

Cost-Effectiveness of Perinatal Depression Screening: A Scoping Review.

Xie X, Lin S, Xia Y, Liang D Appl Health Econ Health Policy. 2024; 23(1):51-64.

PMID: 39460885 DOI: 10.1007/s40258-024-00922-z.

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