Media Release 

April 4, 2014

Latest figures in an economic analysis conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) reveal the substantial and long lasting costs that could be incurred by untreated perinatal depression and anxiety.

The report produced by COPE highlights the potential economic costs for births in 2013 specifically. Based on data provided to COPE by beyondblue, the latest figures indicate that the costs for not treating perinatal depression and anxiety are now estimated to be $538M for one year.

Further, the figures demonstrate the fact that perinatal depression and anxiety can also have effects that are long lasting.

Affected children can experience health costs at the beginning of their lives through to being more likely to experience depression themselves and adverse impacts to their productivity in adulthood. When calculating ongoing impacts on the mother, child and family this cost increase to $710M over a 20-year period.

The report also states that detection and early intervention or assistance to help a mother with perinatal depression can bring significant cost savings. If the prevalence of women affected by perinatal depression was reduced by just 5% (15,500 women) in 2013, total costs in the first two years could be reduced by $147M.

Dr Nicole Highet, Executive Director of COPE: Centre of Perinatal Excellence stated that: “We know that the perinatal period (which includes pregnancy to the first year following the birth of a baby) is the time when women are most at risk of developing mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.  Our focus need to be directed at raising awareness, early detection and early intervention – so that we not only reduce the personal costs for women, men, children and families, but also the economic costs to the community”

Dr Highet went on to indicate the timeliness of the report, in light of the Governments review of the future of Australia’s National Perinatal Depression Initiative (NPDI): “The focus of the NPDI is early detection through screening and the provision of treatments for women both during pregnancy and the postnatal period. When you consider the costs of the Initiative, relative to the costs to the economy – it makes good business sense to invest into this Initiative which focuses on early detection and intervention” she said.

The Centre of Perinatal Excellence is dedicated to improving the effectiveness and efficiencies of screening in Australia, and with Telstra, Prevention Express and the Parent-Infant research Institute, is piloting the development of effective and efficient approaches to screening, monitoring the evaluating the effectiveness of screening interventions nationally.

View the ABC’s 730 report exclusive that followed this media release. http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2014/s3977146.htm