A study of hospitals in the state of Ohio found that most education about PPD provided by nursing staff to new mothers is passive and that there are very few specific educational programs. (The study was conducted by the University of South Carolina’s Department of Family and Preventive Medicine.) Most of us who have been through this have said that we wished the subject hadn’t been glossed over and that we’d had a much clearer idea of what might happen. These study results aren’t surprising.
The objective of the study was to assess and characterize health education regarding PPD received by recently delivered women during their postpartum hospital stay by surveying nurse managers for obstetric services at 100+ Ohio hospitals. The results? Most hospitals (89.7%) educate newly delivered women about PPD, most often by passive methods. Specific educational programs were offered by only 14% of hospitals. Most PPD education was provided during hospitalization after delivery; however, 50% of respondents felt that it should be provided at every possible opportunity.
I’m glad to see that the nurses agree with us on the need for better education.
I just read this post and I would have to agree. After working 27 years in Labor and Delivery and postpartum in a prestigious northern New Jersey Hospital doing over 350 delivers per year, postpartum depression was not a subject that was discussed in the prenatal educational classes in any depth, if at all. During the discharge to home process for new mothers, there was nothing on the discharge instruction sheet about postpartum depression or signs to look for. I think this is due in part to the social expectation that anything negative about motherhood doesn’t occur and that motherhood is a wonderful experience for everyone. There is a social stigma and taboo about discussing anything negative about motherhood. I absolutely agree that education about postpartum depression is the only way to get the message out to the public about postpartum depression, the treatment and support services. In New Jersey, the former First Lady Mary Jo Codey has established an educational campaign and speaker’s bureau to educate healthcare professionals and the public about this tragic illness.