Antepartum and postpartum depression

Abstract

Psychiatric mood disorders can and do occur in pregnant women. Women with antepartum depression have a risk of poor nutrition, substance abuse, and prenatal noncompliance. Careful assessment of risk and benefits to the pregnant woman and to the unborn child must be made before pharmacologic therapy is initiated. The three postpartum mood disorders--postpartum "blues," postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis--are common, and education is an important instrument in the treatment of these disorders.