One in 10 pregnant women suffers from depression; this rate increases to 13% in the later stages of pregnancy. In the past 10 to 15 years, the medical community has paid increasing attention to treatment options for women with depression during pregnancy, or antenatal depression. Historically, uncertainty regarding the safety of antidepressants during pregnancy has precluded their widespread use; and current FDA labeling practices and a relatively small number of prospective studies on antidepressant use during pregnancy have continued to limit the role of antidepressants during pregnancy. However, acceptance of using drugs to treat depression during pregnancy is growing. This article discusses the risk factors and screening tools for depression, explores the recommended clinical approach to antenatal depression, and details the information to provide in a risk-benefit decision-making discussion with a woman who has antenatal depression.

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