Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Postpartum mothers

Key things to know What the evidence shows
How common is it? 5.7% global pooled diagnosed GAD
Is it more common among postpartum mothers? Slightly higher pooled prevalence than pregnancy
Are postpartum mothers at higher risk? Yes
How much higher is the risk? 5.7% diagnosed GAD
How often can it be missed? High
Does it show up differently among postpartum mothers? Somewhat
How might it look different? Infant-health/parenting worries; sleep deprivation overlaps anxiety
What commonly occurs alongside it? Postpartum depression; OCD; other anxiety disorders
What can it be confused with? Postpartum OCD; depression; normal new-parent worry; thyroid disease
Common screening tool GAD-7
Separate screening tool for postpartum mothers None GAD-specific
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