Abstract
Purpose: PPD is one of the most common psychiatric diagnoses or illnesses affecting women worldwide (Khan, 2011). An estimated one in seven women will experience PPD and the rate increases to 41% among mothers who suffered with PPD in a previous pregnancy (American Psychological Association, 2015). Unfortunately, screening for maternal depression is not a standardized process, and treatment does not always follow a diagnosis (National Institute for Health Care Management, 2010). The importance of non-pharmacological interventions such as exercise should not be excluded when considering treatment options. The purpose of this project was to improve maternal outcomes through standardized screening & treatment protocols for postpartum depression and to evaluate the effectiveness of an exercise regimen as an intervention for PPD.
Summary: The Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) quality improvement model was used to guide the project implementation. During the Plan phase, chart reviews were performed to assess current practices and number of patients screened for PPD. Pre and post-tests assessed provider and staff knowledge of PPD. During the Do phase, all postpartum mothers were screened utilizing the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) tool during the six-week postpartum exam. Pre and post intervention data was collected, weekly assessment of emotional and physical well-being, and amount and duration of exercise. During the check phase, analysis of the pre/post EPDS, pre/post scores of provider/staff in-service, reviews of the survey, and analysis to assess effectiveness of the exercise intervention. Retrospective chart reviews were performed. The Act phase include standardized screening of all postpartum patients and appropriate intervention and follow-up for those who screened positive.
Outcomes: Awareness and knowledge of PPD increased by 22% among staff and providers. Psychological well-being of the mothers improved as indicated by a 17% average reduction rate in EPDS scores. Physical well-being of the mothers also improved with an average 4% reduction in overall weight. By the end of project implementation, 84% of patients in the clinic were routinely being screened and properly referred for treatment if the EPDS score was > 10 at 6-weeks postpartum.
Implications for Women's Health: WHNP's have frequent encounters with women during pregnancy and the postpartum period, which provides the WHNP an opportune time to screen for and treat PPD.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Physical Activity, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum and Exercise
Conference Name
19th Annual NPWH Premier Women's Healthcare Conference
Conference Year
2016
Conference Location
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Conference Host
Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health
Recommended Citation
Goble, Melissa and Short, Candace, "Mending the mother: An exercise based approach in the management of postpartum depression" (2024). Group: National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH). 63.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/group_npwh/63
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Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Full Text of Presentation
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