| Target Professions: | DO, MD, Midwife, Nurse Practitioner, Physician Associate/Assistant |
| Target Specialties: | Obstetrics/Gynecology, Women's Health, Maternal Fetal Medicine |
| Credits Available: | 4.75 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ with ABIM MOC |
Postpartum depression (PPD) affects up to one in seven women and is a leading cause of maternal morbidity, with profound implications for both the patient and her family. Untreated PPD can lead to chronic depression, impaired maternal-infant bonding, strained partner relationships, and long-term developmental challenges for the child. These effects are magnified when symptoms go unrecognized or untreated. Early and routine screening, integrated into obstetric and pediatric care, is essential to identify women at risk and initiate timely intervention. Collaborative care models where primary care or OB providers partner with behavioral health care managers and consulting psychiatrists offer a scalable, evidence-based approach to managing PPD. These models improve access to treatment, ensure close follow-up, and have demonstrated superior outcomes compared to standard care.
Please answer the following questions to assess your understanding of screening, diagnosing, and treating patients with postpartum depression.
In this module, we will examine the epidemiology of PPD, causes for missed diagnosis, and the effects it has on mothers, infants and families when it is undiagnosed.
This module discusses guideline-based screening recommendations for PPD, the screening tools that are commonly used, barriers to screening and strategies for overcoming them, and best practices to support a diverse patient population in your practice.
This module provides an overview of the current treatment options available for patients experiencing PPD. We review the latest ACOG guidelines and discuss the recently introduced neuroactive steroid therapy.
Now that you have reviewed the self-study modules, answer the following questions to assess your understanding of screening and treating patients with postpartum depression.
The group discussion will start with a review of the self-study modules and the assessment questions. We will also have the opportunity to hear a patient’s journey and discuss an interesting case presentation involving PPD.
In this activity you will meet a woman who has recently given birth to her third child. She presents with a variety of symptoms that could be from a variety of causes.
Lucia is a 36-year-old G1P1 who gave birth eight weeks ago to a healthy girl. She appears withdrawn and avoids eye contact on a routine well-baby visit. You are able to administer an EPDS in Spanish and her score is 23.
Please share your plans on how you plan to improve the care of patients with PPD in your practice. What do you think is needed most? What barriers do you need to address?
The group discussion will include a case presentation focused on integrating collaborative care models as well as action plans that you have submitted.
