The findings come from a study of 1,837 pregnant women who were surveyed in the waiting rooms of five Michigan obstetrics clinics, using a standard questionnaire that detects signs of depression.
Of the women in the study, 276 met the criteria for being at risk of depression. All of these women had follow-up interviews with trained mental health workers who assessed them using the standard criteria used to diagnose depression, and asked them about their mental health and treatment history.
In all, 17% of the 276 women were found to be experiencing serious depression. Another 23% had a history of major depression, which can come and go throughout life and needs regular monitoring and treatment. Of those who were experiencing major depression at the time of the study, only 33% were receiving any treatment for it. Of the 276 women with high depression risk, only 20% were receiving treatment, despite the fact that many had a history of depression.
When the researchers analyzed data on the at-risk and depressed women who were receiving treatment, they found that only 43% of those taking antidepressant medications (alone or in combination with talk therapy) had been taking them at the recommended dose for at least six weeks. Such medications often must be taken for six to eight weeks before depression symptoms ease.
“No one would argue that these women would benefit from some form of intervention, but only 33% of them were,” said Dr Heather Flynn, the University of Michigan psychologist who led the study. “It may be impossible to closely monitor every pregnant woman at risk in the way this study did, but it certainly makes sense to ensure that women with clear depression get the help they need.”
Severe depression during pregnancy can interfere with women’s ability to eat properly, get enough rest, or receive prenatal care – all of which may contribute to premature and low birth-weight infants. Even mild depression during pregnancy can put a woman at risk of more severe post-partum depression, which can interfere with her ability to care for her newborn and herself.