RTI International - News Release - 5.5.2005
Study Finds Depression Is Prevalent in Women During Pregnancy, But Often Undetected
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. -- Depression among pregnant women and new mothers is very common, according to a recent report prepared by the RTI International-UNC Evidence-based Practice Center for the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The report indicates that depression is as common in women during pregnancy as it is after giving birth.
According to the report, roughly 1 in 20 women who are pregnant or have given birth in the past 12 months suffer from major depression, defined as episodes lasting two weeks or longer and accompanied by impairments in a woman's ability to carry out normal daily functions. When combined with the number of those who experience episodes of minor depression, as many as 13 percent of women are affected.
The report defines perinatal depression as occurring during pregnancy and up to 12 months after childbirth.
Researchers suspect health care providers and patients may fail to recognize perinatal depression because signs of depression, like tiredness, trouble sleeping, emotional changes and weight gain, may also occur with pregnancy.
"This report should serve as a wake-up call to health care providers as well as women and their family members," said AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. "The belief that depression is mostly a problem for women following childbirth is a myth stemming from the fact that postpartum depression has been studied more thoroughly. Enhanced detection of depression by primary care doctors and obstetrician-gynecologists can help improve women's quality of care."
The evidence review also looked at the accuracy of screening instruments. According to the report, the screening instruments studied in pregnant and postpartum women were able to detect depression as well as the instruments used in primary care settings to detect depression in the general population.
Because of the small number of available studies, the report's authors were unable to determine whether screening ultimately improves patient outcomes. However, the available research suggests that providing psychosocial support to pregnant and postpartum women with depression may decrease symptoms.
"There is a lack of research in the area of perinatal depression," noted Wanda Jones, Dr.P.H., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health and Chair of the Safe Motherhood Working Group. AHRQ and the Safe Motherhood Working Group plan to co-fund additional research into the management of perinatal depression later this year.
The report is based on an evidence review conducted by the RTI International-University of North Carolina Evidence-based Practice Center, under the direction of Bradley N. Gaynes, M.D., of UNC's School of Medicine and Norma I. Gavin, a senior research economist at RTI.
The report was requested by the Safe Motherhood Working Group, a coalition of HHS agencies that works to improve the health of women before, during and after pregnancy by reducing illness and deaths.
Details are in Perinatal Depression: Prevalence, Screening Accuracy, and Screening Outcomes. The summary is on AHRQ's Web site at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/peridepsum.htm, and the full report is available at http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/peridepr/peridep.pdf. Print copies may be requested by calling AHRQ's Publications Clearinghouse at 1-800-358-9295 or sending an e-mail to ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov.