The United States Preventive Services Task Force issues recommendations for screening for a variety of diseases and conditions based on the evidence from studies. Usually these public health messages are non-controversial, although the USPSTF kicked up a storm with its proposals for both mammograms and PSA-based prostate cancer screening.
Screening Adults for Depression Is Recommended:
This week the task force published its recommendations for depression screening in JAMA Internal Medicine. It found that the benefits of screening for depression in adults outweigh any harms.
Pregnant Women and New Mothers Definitely Should Be Screened for Depression:
Specifically, the task force recommends screening women who are pregnant or who have recently given birth. The guidelines urge that such women be treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy or other evidence-based counseling if they’re depressed.
It is important to have non-drug treatment options available since questions have been raised about the safety of common SSRI antidepressants for the unborn child. Although the overall chances of a problem with the infant are very low, women taking fluoxetine (Prozac) or paroxetine (Paxil) during pregnancy are more likely to have a baby with a birth defect. You can read more about that problem here and here. The task force envisions a multidisciplinary team-based approach for depressions that strengthens and supports self-care.
