A Review of Treatments and Clinical Guidelines for Perinatal Depression

Perinatal depression occurs in approximately 1 in 7 women and is considered the most common complication of pregnancy and childbearing. Management of perinatal depression may include a combination of nonpharmacological and pharmacological therapies depending on the severity of symptoms, the stage of gestation, and maternal preference. Healthcare providers are recommended to review current guidelines and provide information to women during pregnancy and postpartum regarding the risks and benefits of nonpharmacological and pharmacological treatment options for perinatal depression. In addition, healthcare providers should consider common barriers to treatment including inadequate screening and social stigma. This article reviews common treatments of perinatal depression as well as the clinical guidelines provided by the American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Psychiatric Association (APA), and the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Discussion of nonpharmacological therapies includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT). Pharmacological treatments are reviewed by drug class and include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), norepinephrine/dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs), and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). Adjunctive treatments of severe depression, including second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs), are also discussed.