Implementation of a Postpartum Depression Screening Program to Increase Detection and Referral of Women Experiencing Postpartum Depression (PPD).

Postpartum depression is a common and serious mental disorder seen in 10% to 20% of
postpartum women. It is the most undiagnosed and undertreated condition in obstetrics. It can
affect mother-infant bonding, the mother’s wellbeing, and the infant’s development. The aim of
this project is to implement a postpartum depression (PPD) screening program that will include
early screening and referral for treatment. This manuscript will describe the results of the project
and the importance of early screening for PPD. A practice change for a focused outcome was
implemented in a practice. This change included a new protocol on PPD screening. A ten-item
Edinburg postnatal depression scale (EPDS) was used to screen every woman during the
postpartum visit. Data was collected between June 2020 and September 2020. Thirty women
visited the clinic for a postpartum check within the 3-month period. Twenty-eight (93.3%) were
screened for PPD. One (4%) of the twenty-eight women was detected to have symptoms of PPD
and 100% of those who were detected with symptoms were referred. Two women (6.7%) were
not screened. Prior to implementation of the protocol, education was provided to staff, and the
22-item revised depression attitude questionnaire (R-DAQ) was administered pre and post
education to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of the staff. The independent sample T- Test
was used to analyze the knowledge of staff pre and post educational sessions. The results showed
an increase in knowledge, but it was not statistically significant. Also, the implementation of the
practice change in the project site is still under assessment. In conclusion, implementing EPDS
into practice will help improve PPD screening, early detection and treatment of PPD.