WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Researchers have unveiled two powerful machine-learning tools that can accurately identify women at heightened risk for postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis potentially transforming maternal mental health care before mothers even leave the hospital.
In the first study, Dr. Mark A. Clapp of Massachusetts General Hospital led the development and external validation of a predictive model for postpartum depression, using electronic health record data from over 29,000 women with no recent history of depressive disorders.
The model, presented at the 2025 American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting and published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, accurately predicted 28.8 percent of women who went on to develop PPD and correctly ruled out the condition in 92.2 percent of others.
'Early identification enables immediate care planning, potentially preventing the progression of symptoms,' Clapp said. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between obstetricians and mental health professionals to provide timely interventions.
PPD affects approximately one in seven women after childbirth and is a leading contributor to maternal suicide. Despite being highly treatable, current screening often occurs six to eight weeks postpartum, delaying care when symptoms can become severe.
In a separate study, Dr. Behrang Mahjani and colleagues at Mount Sinai examined familial risk factors for postpartum psychosis one of the most severe psychiatric conditions following childbirth.
Analyzing data from over 1.6 million women in Sweden, they found that those with a full sister who experienced postpartum psychosis were more than ten times as likely to develop the condition themselves. The risk increased nearly fourteen fold if the sister also had bipolar disorder.
Though the absolute risk remains low, researchers stress the importance of counseling women with a family history of the condition about their elevated vulnerability.
Published during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, these findings underscore the critical need for proactive, personalized mental health screening and support in the postpartum period to protect both mothers and their infants.
Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2025 AFX News
