Women's perspectives on postpartum depression screening in pediatric settings: a preliminary study

This preliminary study is the first to identify mothers' perspectives on barriers and facilitators to addressing postpartum depression (PPD) in pediatric settings. We conducted four 90-min focus groups with women (n = 27) who self-identified a history of perinatal depression and/or emotional complications. Barriers reported included stigma and fear among women and lack of provider knowledge/skills regarding depression. Participants recommended non-stigmatizing approaches to depression screening/referral. Future PPD screening efforts should leverage the pediatrician-mother relationship to mitigate mothers' fears and encourage help-seeking.