The focus of this guideline is on the screening, assessment, prevention, interventions and evaluation of persons with depression symptoms during pregnancy and in the first year following childbirth. Practice recommendations in this BPG relate to the screening and assessment of depression symptoms and include the implementation of effective preventive and non-pharmacological treatment interventions, including those focusing on psychosocial and psychological supports.
The focus of this guideline is on the screening, assessment, prevention, interventions and evaluation of persons with depression symptoms during pregnancy and in the first year following childbirth. Practice recommendations in this BPG relate to the screening and assessment of depression symptoms and include the implementation of effective preventive and non-pharmacological treatment interventions, including those focusing on psychosocial and psychological supports.
As an introduction, we’ve provided summaries of the practice recommendations from the BPG document — but we strongly encourage downloading RNAO’s official PDF.
Routinely screen for risk of perinatal depression, using a valid tool, as part of prenatal and postpartum care.
Conduct or facilitate access to a comprehensive perinatal depression assessment with persons who screen positive for perinatal depression.
Collaborate with the person to develop a comprehensive person-centred plan of care, including goals, for those with a positive screen or assessment for perinatal depression.
Implement prevention strategies for perinatal depression to reduce the risk of illness progression.
Promote self-care strategies for persons at risk for or experiencing perinatal depression.
Encourage persons with perinatal depression symptoms to seek support from their partner, family members, social networks and peers, where appropriate.
Provide or facilitate access to psychoeducational interventions to persons at risk for or experiencing perinatal depression.
Provide or facilitate access to professionally-led psychosocial interventions, including non-directive counseling, for persons with perinatal depression.
Provide or facilitate access to psychotherapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy or interpersonal therapy, for perinatal depression.
Support informed decision-making and advocate for access to pharmacological interventions for perinatal depression, as appropriate.
Facilitate informed decision-making regarding the use of complementary and alternative medicine therapies for perinatal depression.
Evaluate and revise a plan of care for perinatal depression, in collaboration with the person, until goals are met. Include the person’s partner, family, and support network, where applicable.
This website was developed by a team of researchers at the Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing at Toronto Metropolitan University (Formerly Ryerson University). The purpose of the site is to provide supplementary resources for implementing RNAO’s Best Practice Guidelines. Some information about the best practice guidelines has been collected directly from the RNAO BPG website. We have done our best to ensure accuracy, however some discrepancies may occur. For official, up-to-date information about the best practice guidelines, please refer to the RNAO website.
