Strengthening Postpartum Depression Screening and Treatment within Primary Healthcare Centers in Riyadh 1st Cluster

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental health issue impacting 10-20% of women worldwide and has far-reaching consequences on both child and maternal health. Despite these far-reaching consequences, PPD incidences are often underdiagnosed and undertreated in primary healthcare, including in the primary healthcare centers (PHCs) of Riyadh 1st Cluster, increasing systemic health burden and limiting timely detection and treatment. This systematic review appraises several peer-reviewed articles published between 2000-2023 and synthesizes research on awareness, screening rates, barriers, and interventions for PPD in primary care, with a focus on adapting findings to the context of Riyadh 1st Cluster PHCs. We report that effective tools for measuring PPD, such as the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), are underutilized due to cultural stigma, limited provider training, and resource constraints within Riyadh’s PHCs. Key barriers identified include cultural stigma towards mental health in Saudi society, lack of standardized PPD protocols, and incomplete mental health resource integration in the Riyadh 1st Cluster. Evidence suggests routine screening during 6-week postpartum visits, culturally competent provider training, and improved case management workflows (e.g., collaboration between triage, waiting room, and shared charts) are effective. Telehealth and automated telephone assessments also show promise for improving PPD detection and treatment in Riyadh’s PHCs. Policy options, such as mandating PPD screening or enhancing provider reimbursement for integrated care, are proposed to address gaps. Reducing these gaps will mitigate short-term consequences like poor mother-infant bonding and yield long-term economic benefits in Riyadh’s healthcare system.