Awareness and screening of pre-natal and post-natal depression

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Rahayu Mahzam

MP for Jurong GRC

Question No. 1256

To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the measures put in place in the hospitals to identify and diagnose pre-natal and post-natal depression; (b) whether all hospitals are required to screen women for pre-natal and postnatal depression; (c) whether there are programmes to educate husbands and extended family members about the symptoms of pre-natal and post-natal depression; and (d) whether these efforts are part of the National Mental Health Blueprint.

Answer

1        Most pregnant women are managed by the obstetricians during their pregnancy, they play a major role in identifying antenatal and postnatal depression symptoms both in the private and public sectors.

2        KKH and NUH covers 90% of the public sector deliveries.  Since 2007, KKH and NUH have been funded under the National Mental Health Blueprint to provide screening and early intervention for postnatal depression.  The NUH Women’s Emotional Health Service (WEHS) and KKH’s Postnatal Depression Intervention Programme (PDIP) provide depression screening at 2-8 weeks postpartum, during outpatient postnatal review at the specialist clinics.  Under the NUH WEHS, women are also screened antenatally at three time points – registration, trimester two, and trimester three.  Both programmes accept patients referred from other hospitals, including private hospitals.  Since 2007, both programmes have screened around 80,050 women, and 818 women were subsequently referred to, and seen by psychiatrists for further follow up.   

3        Women who are screened positive for depression would be managed by a multidisciplinary team comprising a psychiatrist, case manager, and a psychologist.  The women and their family members will also be given useful contacts and information on managing their emotional health.

4        Both programmes also provide antenatal talks and classes open to women and their spouses, covering antenatal and postnatal depression, and on keeping emotionally well during and after pregnancy.  Through various media platforms, KKH also raises public awareness on postnatal depression.

5        SGH covers the remaining 10% of public sector deliveries.  SGH has a psychiatry clinic located within the obstetric-gynaecology specialist outpatient clinic, and obstetricians who pick up women with antenatal and postnatal depression symptoms can refer them to the psychiatry clinic.