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As a result of new guidelines released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force regarding maternal mental illness, various healthcare providers are more likely to screen pregnant women and new mothers. Maternal mental health screening has recently been shown to increase access to appropriate resources.
A study by a group at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston on 9,000 women found that they were
 significantly more likely to seek mental health services following a positive screen for depression. As such, Dr. Kartik K. Venkatesh and his team note that these women were significantly more likely to be linked to evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of depression.
Interestingly, participants were more likely to continue follow-up with mental health services in the antenatal period in comparison to the postpartum period. Overall, the study also found that of women who were diagnosed, 35% were prescribed antidepressant medications.
These preliminary results offer hope that improved screening measures in healthcare offices that often come into contact with pregnant women and new mothers--like obstetrics and gynecology, primary care, and pediatricians--will improve access to mental health care resources and to appropriate treatment options. Since untreated maternal mental illness presents stark difficulties for both mother and child, it is critical for healthcare providers to intervene with care and support as soon as possible.
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better routine screening and follow-up measures to ensure that women experiencing symptoms receive needed care. When women are diagnosed and engage in maternal mental health care, many of the risks associated with maternal mental illness, like low birth weight, are prevented.
