A 28-year-old woman is at her 6-week postpartum visit. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score is 14 and she reports persistent low mood, anhedonia, and intrusive thoughts of self-harm. Which nursing interventions are appropriate? Select all that apply.
Select All That Apply
Choose your responses, then check the answer.
Explanation
PPD with self-harm ideation requires immediate action: direct suicide-risk assessment, urgent provider notification, same-day mental-health evaluation, evidence-based treatment discussion (SSRI such as sertraline is compatible with breastfeeding), and safety planning with family. Choice 1 is wrong and dangerous — "baby blues" resolves in 10-14 days and does NOT include self-harm ideation; PPD is a clinical depression requiring treatment, not reassurance.
The single most dangerous NCLEX trap on PPD is "this is just baby blues, reassure and discharge". Any postpartum patient with self-harm ideation, suicidal thoughts of harming the infant, or psychotic symptoms is a psychiatric emergency. Sertraline is generally first-line in breastfeeding women due to favorable transfer profile.
28-year-old, 6 weeks postpartum. EPDS score 14 (≥ 10 suggests possible depression, ≥ 13 stronger concern). She reports persistent low mood, anhedonia, and intrusive thoughts of self-harm. Infant is healthy.
Postpartum depression (PPD) — Major depressive episode beginning during pregnancy or within 12 months postpartum; affects ~10-15% of mothers.