The rate of Depression during Pregnancy and Post Partum Period in Primary Health Care Unit in Inshas El Raml, Belbas - Sharqia Governorate

Abstract

• Healthcare providers in general and mental healthcare providers, in particular, need to be aware of the importance of perinatal depression. • Screening for perinatal depression should become routine in the primary health care setting, obstetric and pediatric clinics. Practitioners must first know how to screen and where to refer if further assessment and intervention appear necessary. Screening tools exist but primary health practitioners need access to them, training on appropriate use. • Physicians must know how to diagnose perinatal derpression. • Practitioners in antenatal care units are important to know how to do psychotherapy for pregnant women. • Assessment of women’s social support, marital satisfaction and recording a psychiatric history in antenatal care units are important to know the mothers at risk for develop¬ing psychiatric disorders. • The most important thing physicians can do is to make women more aware of perinatal depression as a common occurrence. They assure them that experiencing depres¬sive symptoms does not make them “unfit” or “bad” parents. • The stigma of mental illness must be reversed so that women can be more comfortable admitting to being di¬agnosed with and treated for perinatal depression. Research recommendations: More longitudinal studies are needed to make accurate conclusions about different risk factors affecting development of perinatal depression.