Maternal Depression Scale: Do “Drop-In” Laborist Patients Have Increased Postpartum Screening Risks Compared to Patients with Adequate Prenatal Care?

Conclusion for Practice Patients without prenatal care who arrive solely for urgent “drop-in” delivery have a measurable increased risk factor for postpartum depressive symptoms. Ethnicity and payor status were related to adequacy of prenatal care but were not significant variables when analyzing patients with EPDS >  10. Laborist services providing care to “drop-in” patients should recognize this increased risk and develop policies for screening, referral and follow-up of at-risk patients.
Source: Maternal and Child Health Journal - Category: Health Management Source Type: research