Neurobehavioral Health: Maternal Mental Health Program
Overview
Maternal Depression, also known as perinatal mood and anxiety disorders
(PMADs), affects 15 to 20% of new mothers. It is the most common complication
related to childbirth. Hoag Maternal Mental Health Program’s outpatient
clinic was launched in December 2017, as collaboration between the Pickup
Family Neurosciences Institute and Women’s Health Institute. The
Program is an integral part of the comprehensive maternity care and education
provided at Hoag Hospital, which is widely recognized for excellence in
Obstetrics and Neurobehavioral health.
The Hoag Maternal Mental Health Program is committed to identifying and
treating mental health conditions before, during and after pregnancy to
ensure healthy outcomes for both mothers and babies. With its focus on
four core principlesuniversal screening for maternal depression; linkage
to supportive services; early intervention and treatment, and community
education, the Program is set to make a significant impact on the wellbeing
of mothers and babies in our communities.
Services
This unique Program provides screening services to identify maternal mental
health conditions early and offers a variety of treatment options including
lifestyle modifications, cognitive behavioral therapy, group psychotherapy
and medication management. Under the supervision of a board-certified
reproductive psychiatrist, treatments are evidence based and follow recommended
guidelines. The shared decisionmaking process carefully considers the
known risks of untreated depression and the risks and benefits of treatment.
The clinical team works in collaboration with the patient, support person(s)
and clinical providers to optimize care.
Some of the services offered by the Hoag Maternal Mental Health Program include:
- Pre-conception planning (women with existing mental health conditions or
who are already taking medications with plans to conceive)
- Mental health assessment during pregnancy and post-partum
- Individual and group psychotherapy • Medication Safety Evaluation
during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
- Pharmacogenomics Testing to personalize treatments and achieve better outcomes.
- Linkage to Supportive services through the Maternal Mental Health Support Line
- Support Groups and classes
Clinic Information
The Maternal Mental Health outpatient clinic and the Maternal Mental Health
Support Line operate Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The clinic
is located inside the Hoag for Her Center for Wellness in Newport Beach.
With its calm and welcoming surroundings, women feel at ease and removed
from the stigma of seeking care for mental health.
Team
The clinical team is led by Patty De Marco, M.D. Dr. De Marco is board
certified in Adult Psychiatry as well as Psychosomatic Medicine by the
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She completed fellowship training
in Psychosomatic Medicine with emphasis on Reproductive Psychiatry at
the University of Southern California.
The team includes licensed marriage and family therapists and licensed
clinical social workers, who are Maternal Mental Health certified through
Postpartum Support International.
Patients have access to a range of wellness providers and complementary
medicine offerings within the Center for Wellness including Acupuncture,
Massage, Pilates, Yoga and Meditation, Guided Imagery, Registered Dietitian
and certified Fitness Trainer.
Outcomes
Since its launch, the clinic has provided over 800 individual face to face
encounters, provided support to over 500 callers and linked over 120 individuals
to outside providers and services.
Using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) as a screening tool,
the clinic has been able to track outcomes. At three months post treatment,
a randomly selected sample of patients have shown significant improvements
on the EPDS score. 72% of patients have had 5 points or better improvement
on the EPDS score at three months post initial assessment.
Staying true to its mission of providing outreach and education, the clinic
team has provided over 10 lectures to community physicians around maternal
mental health and caring for pregnant and new moms.
In September 2018, California passed into law important maternal mental
health legislation requiring obstetric and primary care physicians to
screen patients for depression, requiring hospitals to provide training
to all clinical staff who care for pregnant and new moms and requiring
the State Department of Health to secure and utilize federal funding to
develop maternal mental health programs. Hoag and it Maternal Mental Health
clinic have been at the forefront to develop and implement such programs.
To learn more, visit the
Maternal Mental Health Program section or call 949-764-8191.