Improving maternal postpartum mental health screening guidelines requires assessment of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has a prevalence of 4-17% in the postpartum period and, like better known postpartum depression (PPD), is linked to reduced quality maternal-child interactions, decreased maternal sense of life satisfaction and functioning, and negative impacts on child development. Currently, provincial and public health organizations throughout Canada screen new mothers for PPD with the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, which while laudable does not capture PTSD. PTSD is highly associated with PPD, 65% of women with PTSD also present with PPD, presenting a significant gap in postpartum maternal mental health screening. Numerous self-report PTSD screening questionnaires are available that could be incorporated into routine maternal postpartum mental health care. Furthermore, across Canada, regional differences in availability of maternal mental health screening, services, and programs suggest a gap in one of the tenets of Canadian health care-lack of universality. Not only does Canada require national maternal mental health screening, service and program guidelines, but PTSD screening must be incorporated, in order to identify and treat new mothers experiencing mental health problems.