Mental Health Minute

How to talk to your perinatal patients about mental health

Reviewed by Nazaneen Homaifar, Board-Certified OB/GYN & Seven Starling Medical Director

Talking to your patients about their mental health is a vital component of comprehensive perinatal healthcare. Because of the stigma and lack of information about maternal health, it’s important to create a safe, empathetic space that is conducive to sharing.

A whopping 94% of patients with perinatal mood & anxiety disorders don‘t seek help because of stigma, so here are some ways to start the conversation: 

1. Normalize the conversation and use open-ended questions

Build the relationship and use open-ended questions. Our Medical Director, Dr. Nazaneen Homaifar  recommends the following:

  • “This is a huge period of change.  How are you doing with it?”
  • “How is everything going at home? What is your support like?”
  • “Is the transition to motherhood meeting your expectations?”

2. Use screening tools to help start the conversation

It can be challenging to start the conversation, so screening tools can be an objective way to identify risk factors while also implementing ACOG’s recommendations around perinatal screening. 

  • At Seven Starling, we use the PHQ-9 and GAD-7
  • Go over the answers together and ask “help me understand why you chose the answers you did”

3. Remind them depression & anxiety are incredibly common and treatable

Reiterating that while daunting and painful, depression and anxiety are both treatable and common can help your patient feel more optimistic and less stigmatized. 

  • Remind patients depression and anxiety are treatable but serious conditions that are unlikely to get better without care.
  • Connect them to reliable, affordable care
  • 90% of Seven Starling patients feel better in 2 months
  • Seven Starling patients start care in 4 days & 85% are in-network.

4. Refer them to a trusted mental health resource

Our community of Seven Starling Healthcare Professionals refer perinatal patients to Seven Starling for our specialized, in-network care. Click the link below to get started with free referral resource or simply refer your patients to sevenstarling.com to get started.

Refer patients to care