Perinatal depression management: A narrative review of guidelines and recommendations in chosen European countries

Abstract

Perinatal depression (PND) is a mood disorder occurring during pregnancy or within a year after childbirth, affecting up to 12% of women. Given its prevalence and burden, effective national strategies for screening and treatment are essential for its mitigation. This is a narrative review that examines current approaches to managing PND across fifteen European countries with a focus on the availability of national guidelines for screening in order to identify gaps in maternal mental health and recommend feasible solutions based on examples from countries implementing effective programs. The guidelines were identified through searches in PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, general web search engines, and websites of national healthcare institutions by two independent reviewers conducting the search. Guidelines were included only if they were officially issued or endorsed by national authorities, applied nationwide, and provided specific procedures and tools for screening. Among the fifteen countries examined, only four had national guidelines addressing both screening and treatment, and two had guidelines focused solely on treatment. Our evidence also indicates growing interest in PND, with several countries enhancing parental mental healthcare through pilot initiatives. International programs like the EU’s Riseup-PPD and the PATH project sought to strengthen perinatal mental healthcare by supporting healthcare professionals and researchers. Despite the lack of national guidelines in some countries, NGOs have created comprehensive materials and national versions of screening tools. Stronger engagement from national health authorities is essential to ensure women receive adequate, timely care. Obligatory, standardized screening must be implemented alongside training for healthcare professionals.