Maternal Depression and Opioid Use After Cesarean Delivery

The authors aimed to evaluate the relationship between maternal depression, treatment status, and opioid use following cesarean delivery. They found that while self-reported depression did not increase inpatient opioid use, untreated depression was linked to higher outpatient opioid consumption and greater perceived pain interference in daily activities up to six weeks postpartum. These findings suggest the importance of addressing untreated maternal depression to potentially mitigate opioid use and pain management challenges after cesarean delivery.