Postpartum Depression and Engagement with VA Care Among Veterans

Excerpt

Since 2012, the Veterans Health Administration (VA) has offered the Maternity Care Coordination-Telephone Care Program (MCC-TCP) to pregnant Veterans to bridge community obstetrical care with ongoing VA care. Currently, over 160 Maternity Care Coordinators, primarily comprised of nurses and social workers, serve all VA facilities. Veterans report high satisfaction with the MCC-TCP,¹ which historically included one postpartum contact. In October 2023, in response to the Protecting Moms Who Served Act (P.L. 117-69), the VA expanded the MCC-TCP by increasing the number of postpartum contacts from one to five in the first year following delivery. This expansion will augment care for postpartum Veterans, a vulnerable period given the risk for the development of postpartum depression (PPD). Past studies have shown that nearly 1/3 of Veterans exhibited depression symptoms during pregnancy² and a quarter of Veterans are diagnosed with PPD.³ However, PPD and rates of postpartum engagement with VA mental healthcare have not been previously examined. …