Screening and Early Identification of Women at Risk of Perinatal Psychopathology 1

Perinatal psychopathology, if not identified and treated, can have serious consequences not only for the mother, but also for the child, the mother-child relationship and the entire family unit. The purpose of this chapter is to highlight the state-of-the-art identification procedures at an international level compared to current screening procedures used to identify both women at risk and those already suffering psychologically. In addition, my purpose is to understand the best way to proceed after identifying women at risk. International studies report the existence of validated screening tools, analyzed in detail in the chapter, which women have willingly accepted in the perinatal period. That screening allows us to identify a decidedly greater number of women at risk than would be identified by normal clinical procedures and practices. In addition, the findings of the most important international agencies dealing with the mental health of pregnant and postpartum women, as well as the international guidelines on perinatal psychopathology, will be analyzed in detail. I will also break down the significant costs that perinatal mental health has on society because of its strong impact on the mother and above all on the child. It is important to promote scientific research in this area in order to demonstrate the critical importance of screening for pregnant and postpartum women.