The impact of screening for risk factors associated with postnatal depression at the first prenatal visit

Although 10-15% of Australian women suffer from postnatal depression (PND), few efforts have been made, prenatally, to predict which women may develop the condition. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact on patients, staff and services of an intervention designed to identify women at risk for PND. Women were screened at their first prenatal visit for factors associated with PND, and were asked to complete a questionnaire at their next clinic visit to assess the impact of the screening questions and the usefulness of a PND information kit. To assess the impact of the intervention on the prenatal clinic routine, all staff associated with the intervention were interviewed individually and their responses were tape recorded and analysed for themes. Patients reported a high level of satisfaction with the intervention. Staff responded well to the new procedure and offered constructive comments to improve the process.