Essential
- More than 94 % of early postnatal interviews resulted in carrying out screening for postpartum depression, according to a new study.
- The results show that nearly three in ten women had moderate signs of major postpartum depression and one in six was strongly symptomatic.
- The study indicates that early postnatal maintenance is well accepted by patients.
Nearly three in ten women have signs of postpartum depression, according to a study on postnatal maintenance carried out by midwives of maternal and infantile protection (PMI) of Hérault. The results were published in the weekly epidemiological bulletin (BEH) of July 22, 2025 of Public health France.
Since 2022, early postnatal maintenance has been systematically offered to mothers. The consultation can take place with a doctor or a midwife, ideally between the 4th and 8th weeks after childbirth, indicates theHealth insurance. This has several objectives: identify the first signs of postpartum depression, measure risk factors and identify the needs of women or couple in terms of support.
Postpartum depression: Is the early postnatal maintenance really effective?
This new study – and first carried out under the conditions of clinical practice – answers this question. Between April 1 and September 30, 2024, 277 postnatal interviews were carried out and 263 were finally included, after the patient’s agreement.
On the physical level, these works highlight that:
- 40 % of women have difficulty experienced their pregnancy
- 31 % delivery, considered for almost 15 % of them as traumatic
- Almost 25 % lived badly back home
- 73 % say they are tired
Early postnatal maintenance also addresses psychological issues. It emerges that:
- 80 % of young mothers said they were supported by their entourage since their return home
- 89 % said they were safe
- 57 % well surrounded
- 39 % feel isolated
- 33 % anxious
1 in 6 women had significant symptoms of postpartum depression
More than 94 % of these interviews resulted in carrying out screening for postpartum depression. This important percentage shows that early postnatal maintenance is used as a screening and prevention tool. Thanks to this, many participants have been identified as postpartum depression. In detail, almost three in ten women had moderate to major signs and one in six was strongly symptomatic.
“Our study reveals that early postnatal maintenance is well accepted by patients, that it makes it possible to collect important data on the health of women in the weeks following childbirth, indicates the study. All of our results show all the relevance of the addition of the EPNP in the perinatal course, provided that it is carried out by trained professionals with suitable and validated tools, with a network to orient patients”.
