Pregnant women suffering from depression often receive inconsistent care and thus spend more time in the hospital before giving birth, a new Georgia Health Sciences University study says.
The lack of system-level support in making decisions for pregnant women with depression, as well as the discomfort revolving around discussing the mental health issue were reasons lead investigator Christie Palladino said less than half of such patients receive treatment for their depression.
Palladino and her colleagues followed 20 health care providers at six different clinics in Michigan. They found that treatment for pregnant women with depression varied widely, even in the same clinic.
The study came after Palladino completed research finding that pregnant women with depression have much longer hospital stays than their counterparts who do not suffer from the mental illness. Pregnant women with depression often arrive at the hospital more than 24 hours prior to delivery, Palladino found.
“That’s a long time for an otherwise healthy woman to be in the hospital before going into labor,” she said. “It has serious consequences for the mother, for the family and for the hospital system in terms of time and cost.”
Palladino believes the lack of consistent care for such women may be the cause of the extended hospital stays.
According to WomensHealth.gov, about 13 percent of pregnant women and new mothers have depression. It describes the situation as a “common problem.”
