Gisèle Apter, MD, PhD, Groupe Hospitalier du Havre, Université de Rouen Normandie, Rouen, France, talks on the unmet needs surrounding the awareness and diagnosis of postpartum depression, a highly prevalent condition affecting an estimated 16% of women after birth. While awareness among healthcare professionals is on the rise, many still lack education/training in the optimal management of these cases. Additionally, the approach to diagnosis is particularly important given the stigma surrounding maternal mental health, as this can feed into patient and community perception. Several well validated diagnostic tools are available for postpartum depression, such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Prof. Apter emphasizes the need for widespread early screening to improve outcomes and help to destigmatize postpartum depression. If screening was routine, mothers could receive much earlier intervention without having to actively seek it. Another issue is the common misconception that postpartum depression is the same as the ‘baby blues’. Baby blues last only a few days to a week after childbirth and symptoms are typically less severe. This interview took place at the 35th European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress 2022 in Vienna, Austria.
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