Section 2110.70  Postnatal Visits

A licensed health care professional providing primary care, obstetric or gynecological services to a woman at a postnatal visit shall:

a)         Invite a post-partum patient to complete a questionnaire to screen for risk of perinatal mental health disorders at least once post-partum.

b)         Offer the questionnaire at least once post-partum, unless the woman states that she has already completed the questionnaire during this period.  The questionnaire may be offered more frequently, based on the licensed health care professional's clinical judgment.  In deciding on the timing or frequency of any additional screenings, the licensed healthcare professional may consider the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Report Incorporating Recognition and Management of Perinatal and Postpartum Depression into Pediatric Practice (AAP in Journal of Pediatrics in 2010 126:5; pgs. 1032-1039). 

c)         Review the completed questionnaire in accordance with the formal opinions and recommendations of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, found at www.acog.org., with respect to perinatal mental health disorders. The ACOG Perinatal Depression Toolkit may be found at http://mail.ny.acog.org/website/DepressionToolkit.pdf.

d)         Document the offer of the questionnaire in the patient record. 

e)         Obtain the patient's consent to share the results of the questionnaire with the patient's primary licensed healthcare professional, if indicated.  If the patient is determined to present an acute danger to herself or someone else, consent is not required.

f)         Document actions taken if the questionnaire indicates that the woman is experiencing symptoms of perinatal mental health disorders.