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in collaboration with
Geraldine Tarrasona (Midwife)
Medical validation:
July 26, 2022
Mood disorders ranging up to postnatal depression can affect both mothers and fathers simultaneously. Although screening tools exist, they are still too often overlooked.
The postpartum period is always a very delicate period. New parents are often tired, anxious and irritable… even depressed. To better support them, researchers at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School analyzed the effects of screening for parental depression beyond the child’s first birthday.
Parental depression: too few screenings
With this in mind, the scientists reviewed 23 studies, involving more than 29,000 couples in whom the pregnancy took place successfully. Among them :
- Nearly 3% of the cpuples (3.18%) suffered from late postnatal depression, which occurs three months to a year after the birth of the child;
- 2% of parents suffer from depression before the birth of the child (1.72%) and depression just after birth, up to 12 weeks (2.37%)
Risk factors identified for mothers are early stressors, limited social support and exposure to domestic violence. Among fathers, the main factors associated with an increased risk of perinatal mood disorder are low education, unemployment, low social support and marital distress.
Despite these results,screening outside the postpartum period is still too rare in pediatric settings”say the researchers.
According to researchers, up to 40% of new mothers do not have a check-up within 6 to 8 weeks after birth.
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Often long-lasting consequences
And the follow-up is not better suited: in the majority of cases, parents whose depression has been confirmed have not received appropriate support.
According to Dr. Smythe: “Perinatal depression may follow a prolonged course; most men and women who experience depressive symptoms between 4 and 8 weeks postpartum continue to have symptoms for up to 6 months postpartum, and some develop symptoms even later in the postpartum period.”.
“Although clinicians recognize the importance of screening for depression, many feel embarrassed and do not screensaid lead author Manuel E. Jimenez, assistant professor of pediatrics and family medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
In addition, pediatric professionals would rely more on “observation” of young parents rather than on the use of validated screening tools. They would also often overlook “fathers,” says co-author Sallie Porter, associate professor at Rutgers School of Nursing.
For the team of scientists, increased screening for parental depression is therefore essential. It must be done”across a wider age range and a wider range of clinical settings” to identify vulnerable families. Appropriate follow-up must then be offered to all young parents in difficulty.
“Postpartum depression is underestimated, while birth, as we know, is a moving moment for both parents. No support is planned or dedicated to this very delicate period, but things are in the process of to move”confirms Dr. Tarrasona.
Parental depression: the signs to detect
The syndrome of “parental burnout primarily manifested by chronic fatigue. But other symptoms may appear, such as:
- Of guilt;
- A need to control everything;
- Stress;
- Mood disorders (including angry reactions); weariness; anorexia; sleep disturbances; anxiety; excessive guilt;
- Suicidal thoughts.
The diagnosis of “parental depression” is confirmed when the symptoms persist over time – i.e. from three weeks / one month. To get out of this burnout, an appointment with a health professional is recommended. We also need to rethink everyday family life.
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Facilitate screening for postpartum depression
As part of the First 1000 Days project, the government is proposing to improve screening for postpartum depression and is making available a tool to amplify screening for postpartum depression.