Treatment of PPD

Health care providers have several options available to them for treating perinatal and postpartum depressions:

• Support through facilitated groups, family, friends and help lines
• Counseling, to include cognitive behavioral/interpersonal therapy
• Electroconvulsive therapy
• Antidepressants, including Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI)

PPD, if left undiagnosed and untreated, can result in:

• Poor pregnancy outcomes, including: low birth weights, perinatal telencephalic leukoencephalopathy (PTL), Small-for-Gestational-Age (SGA) infants, Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) and pregnancy-induced hypertension
• Poor mother-infant attachment
• Language delays
• Behavioral difficulties
• Low cognitive performance
• Mental health disorders
• Attention problems

In addition, mothers could show poor prenatal behaviors, poor parenting behaviors, symptoms lasting longer and an increase risk of relapse.

Return to Additional Ailments

 

For more information call:
TEL-LINK: 1-800-TEL-LINK or 1-800-835-5465
Email: info@dhss.mo.gov