Postpartum Depression and Childbirth Education: An Integrative Literature Review

Background: Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a mood disorder that affects approximately 15% of women. Preventative methods are key to reducing the prevalence of PPD, and childbirth educators are in a unique position to disseminate information to new parents. Objective: The purpose of this literature to review was to investigate what PPD information is currently being incorporated in Childbirth education curriculum. The goal of this literature review was to establish whether new parents were being educated on PPD prior to giving birth and if that helped raise levels of awareness. Methods: Articles were found using Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL) Complete, Academic Search Complete, PubMed, and PsychInfo. Search terms included, “postpartum,” “depression,” “education” “doulas” “childbirth” and “awareness”. Results: After reviewing the literature there was evidence indicating that education of new parents can help raise awareness of postpartum depression. With increased awareness individuals suffering from postpartum depression are more likely to receive treatment, thus decreasing the prevalence. The following themes proved to be relevant throughout the 10 articles reviewed: level of health education of new parent, prenatal education, and awareness of signs and symptoms of PPD. Conclusion: The findings indicate that increased awareness of PPD increases the likelihood that individuals will seek help, thus reducing the prevalence of PPD. However more research is needed to establish a connection between childbirth education including postpartum depression and increasing awareness. Keywords: Postpartum Depression; Childbirth Education; Awarenes