Abstract
Accumulating research documenting the prevalence and negative effects of perinatal depression, together with highly publicized tragic critical incidents of suicide and filicide by mothers with postpartum psychosis, have fueled a continuum of legislation. Specialists in perinatal mental health should recognize how their work influences legislative initiatives and penal codes, and take this into consideration when developing perinatal services and research. Yet, without legal expertise, the status of legislative initiatives can be confusing. To address this shortfall, we assembled an interdisciplinary team of academics specializing in law, as well as perinatal mental health, to summarize these issues. This review presents the relevant federal and state legislation and summarizes the criminal codes that governed the court decisions on cases in which a mother committed filicide because of postpartum psychosis. Moreover, the review aims to help researchers and providers who specialize in perinatal depression understand their role in this legal landscape
Similar content being viewed by others
References
45 Code of Federal Regulations (2010) Part 147
American College of Nurse-Midwives (2002) Depression in women: Position statement. http://www.midwife.org/siteFiles/position/Depression_in_Women_05.pdf. Accessed 20 June 2012
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2010) Screening for depression during and after pregnancy: committee opinion no. 453. Obstet Gynecol 115:394–395
American Law Institute, Model Penal Code (1962) Article 2, Sec. 2.02
American Psychiatric Association (2000) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, DSM-IV-TR, 4th edn. American Psychiatric Assocation, Arlington
An Act Concerning Postpartum Mental Health Education (2007) 22 ME. Rev. Stat. Sec. 1, Sec. 262
An Act Relating to Creating and Offense for Infanticide (2009) TX H.B. 3318
An Act Relative to Postpartum Depression (2010) MA. Acts Chapter 313
Association of Women's Health Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (2008) The role of the nurse in postpartum mood and anxiety disorders. http://www.awhonn.org/awhonn/content.do?name=05_HealthPolicyLegislation/5H_PositionStatements.htm. Accessed 29 March 2013
Baker CD, Kamke H, O'Hara MW, Stuart S (2009) Web-based training for implementing evidence-based management of postpartum depression. J Am Board Fam Med 22:588–589
Berry E, Brady C, Cunningham SD, Derrick LL, Drummonds M, Petiford B et al (2010) A national network for effective home visitation and family support services. National Healthy Start Association, Washington, DC
Buist A, Barnett BEW, Milgrom J, Pope S, Condon JT, Ellwood DA et al (2002) To screen or not to screen that is the question in perinatal depression. Med J Aust 177:s101–s105
Certain Information Required for Maternity Patients (2003) VA. Code Ann. Sec. 32.1-134.01
Chabrol H, Teissedre N, Roge B, Mullet E, Roge B, Mullet E (2002) Prevention and treatment of postpartum depression: a controlled randomized study on women at risk. Psychol Med 32:1039–1047
Chaudron LH, Szilagyi PG, Kitzman HJ, Wadkins HIM, Conwell Y (2004) Detection of postpartum depressive symptoms by screening at well-child visits. Pediatrics 113:551–558
Daniel M'Naghten's Case 1843 8 Eng. Rep. 718 (U.K.H.L.)
Downey G, Coyne JC (1990) Children of depressed parents: an integrative review. Psychol Bull 108:50–76
Durham v. U.S. 1954 214 F, 2d 862 (D.C. Cir.)
Findings, Declarations Relative to Postpartum Depression (2006) NJ. Stat. Ann. Title 26 – Health and Vital Statistics Sec 26:2–175
Gavin NI, Gaynes BN, Lohr KN, Meltzer-Brody S, Gartlehner G, Swinson T (2005) Perinatal depression: a systematic review of prevalence and incidence. Obstet Gynecol 106:1071–1083
Goodman SH (2007) Depression in mothers. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 3:107–135
Gordon TEJ, Cardone IA, Kim JJ, Gordon SM, Silver RK (2006) Universal perinatal depression screening in an academic medical center. Obstet Gynecol 107:342–347
Hill C (2010) An evaluation of screening for postnatal depression against NSC criteria. National Screening Committee Report. http://www.evidence.nhs.uk/topic/postnatal-depression. Accessed 1 April 2013
Kozhimannil KB, Adams AS, Soumerai SB, Busch AB, Huskamp HA (2011) New Jersey's efforts to improve postpartum depression care did not change treatment patterns for women on Medicaid. Heal Aff 30:293–301
Laney v. State (2003) 117 SW 3d 854
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month (2011) OR. Rev. Stat. Sec. 187.233
Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act House (2003) H. R. 846, 108th Cong
Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act (2009) H. R. 20, 111th Cong
Meltzer-Brody S (2011) New insights into perinatal depression: pathogenesis and treatment during pregnancy and postpartum. Dialogues Clin Neurosci 13:89–100
Miller LJ, McGlynn A, Suberlak K, Rubin LH, Miller M, Pirec V (2012) Now what? Effects of on-site assessment on treatment entry after perinatal depression screening. J Womens Health 21:1046–1052
Minnesota Department of Health (2005) Postpartum depression education materials. http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/mch/fhv/strategies/ppd/index.html. Accessed 1 April 2013
Morris GH, Haroun A (2001) "God told me to kill": religion or delusion? San Diego Law Rev 38:973–1050
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (2003) The PNP's role in supporting infant and family well-being during the first year of life: position statement. J Pediatr Health Care 17:19A–20A
National Collaborating Center for Mental Health (2007) Antenatal and postnatal mental health: The NICE guideline on clinical management and service guidance. The British Psychological Society and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, London
National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012) 567 U.S. http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/11pdf/11-393c3a2.pdf.Accessed 29 March 2013
Nau ML, McNiel DE, Binder RL (2012) Postpartum psychosis and the courts. J Am Acad Psychiat Law 40:318–325
O'Hara MW, McCabe JE (2013) Postpartum depression: current status and future directions. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 19:379–407
Olson AL, Kemper KJ, Kellecher KJ, Hammond CS, Zuckerman BS, Dietrich AJ (2002) Primary care pediatricians' roles and perceived responsibilities in the identification and management of maternal depression. Pediatrics 110:1169–1176
Parsons v. Alabama (1887) 81 Ala. 577, 2 So 854
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010) 42 U.S.C. Sec. 2952 (a), (b), (c); Sec. 2713
Perinatal Depression Awareness Month (2009–2010) California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 105
Perinatal Mental Health Disorders Prevention and Treatment Act (2008) Sec. 15 405 ILCS 95
Pitt B (1968) “Atypical” depression following childbirth. Br J Psychiatry 114:1325–1335
Postpartum Depression and Education Information (2010, 2012) MN. Stat. Sec. 145.906
Postpartum Depression – Public Information and Communication Outreach Campaign, WA. Rev. Code Title 43 State Government - Executive - Sec. 43.121.160 (2009)
Relating to Information Provided to Parents of Newborn Children (2005) TX. Health and Safety Code Ann., Title 2, Sec. 161, 501, 502
Relating to Perinatal Mental Health and Declaring an Emergency (2011) OR. Laws 75th HS 2666
Schmidt LA, Greenberg BD, Holzman GB, Schulkin J (1997) Treatment of depression by obstetrician-gynecologists: a survey study. Obstet Gynecol 90:296–300
Segre LS, Brock RL, O'Hara MW, Gorman LL, Engeldinger J (2011) Disseminating perinatal depression screening as a public health initiative: a train-the-trainer approach. Matern Child Health J 15:814–821
Segre LS, O'Hara MW (2005) The status of postpartum depression screening in the US. In: Henshaw C, Elliott SA (eds) Screening for perinatal depression. Jessica Kinglsey, London, pp 83–89
Spinelli MG (2004) Maternal infanticide associated with mental illness: prevention and promise of saved lives. Am J Psychiatry 161:1548–1557
Spinelli MG (2005) Infanticide: contrasting views. Arch Womens Ment Health 8:15–24
Spinelli MG (ed) (2003) Infanticide: psychosocial and legal perspectives on mothers who kill, American Psychiatric Publishing. Washington, DC
State v. Yates (2002) Harris County, Texas, Trial Court Case No. 88025 and 88359 Houston 1st Dist
Uniform Maternal Screening Act, WV. Code, Chapter 16, Public Health, Article 4E (2009)
United States Preventive Services Task Force (2009) Screening for depression in adults: US preventive services task force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med 151:784–792
U.S. Legal Law Digest (2013). The insanity defense among the states. http://lawdigest.uslegal.com/criminal-laws/insanity-defense/7204. Accessed 1 April 2013
Wisner KL, Logsdon MC, Shanahan BR (2008) Web-based education for postpartum depression: conceptual development and impact. Arch Womens Ment Health 11:377–385
Yawn B, Dietrich AJ, Wollan P, Betram S, Graham D, Huff J et al (2012) TRIPPD: a practice-based network effectiveness study of postpartum depression screening and management. Ann Fam Med 10:320–329
Yonkers KA, Smith MV, Lin H, Howell HB, Shao L, Rosencheck RA (2009) Depression screening of perinatal women: an evaluation of the healthy start depression initiative. Psychiatr Serv 60:322–328
Acknowledgments
During the period of the conduct of this research Lisa S. Segre, PhD was supported by a NIMH K-23 Award grant MH075964. The authors would like to acknowledge Jennifer McCabe and Alberto Segre for helpful comments on manuscript drafts and the editorial assistance of Linda Curran and Diana Colgan.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rhodes, A.M., Segre, L.S. Perinatal depression: a review of US legislation and law. Arch Womens Ment Health 16, 259–270 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-013-0359-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-013-0359-6