Evaluating the Accuracy of a Stepped Screening Process to Detect Depression, Anxiety, OCD, and PTSD in Pregnant and New Mothers

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating the accuracy of a stepped screening protocol and its short questionnaires to detect mental health problems in women during pregnancy and the first year after giving birth. The study focuses on detecting depressive episodes, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Since many psychological difficulties go undetected in the perinatal period, this research aims to validate whether the screening tools correctly identify women with and without these conditions to improve future care recommendations. Participants, pregnant women between 20 and 24 weeks of pregnancy and mothers 6 to 10 weeks after delivery, will complete questionnaires assessing depressive and anxiety symptoms, including the Whooley questions, GAD-2, EPDS, and GAD-7. Based on questionnaire results, some women will be invited to participate in a telephone interview conducted by a psychologist or psychiatrist using the SCID-5 semi-structured clinical interview to confirm diagnoses. Both women who screen positive and a control group who screen negative will be interviewed to assess the screening tools accuracy. During the study, participants provide demographic information and complete questionnaires online. The telephone interviews happen within two weeks after questionnaire completion, with interviewers unaware of questionnaire results to avoid bias. The study measures the diagnostic accuracy of the screening tools for anxiety disorders, depressive episodes, bipolar disorder episodes, OCD, and PTSD. Data collection continues until enough positive and negative cases are reached, and outcomes will contribute to improving perinatal mental health screening practices.

Diagnostic Accuracy of the Stepped Screening Protocol and Its Screening Tools in the Perinatal Period.