People who experienced unplanned cesarean and failed operative vaginal deliveries (OVDs) were at higher risk of developing mental health conditions within the 6 months following childbirth, according to a study presented at the 2025 Pregnancy Meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
Those who had an unplanned cesarean without an OVD had 15% higher odds of developing a postpartum mental health condition than those who had a spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD). Meanwhile, the odds were 20% higher if a cesarean occurred after a failed OVD.
“Given the strong association, doctors should closely screen for mental health during the postpartum period for patients who experience these types of deliveries,” said Samantha L. Kruger, MA, MD, a resident at Stanford University in Stanford, California, who led the…