Failure to Diagnose Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is a serious mental health condition that affects many new mothers and can have devastating consequences for both the mother and her family if left untreated. As such, prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential to mitigating the condition’s effects and preventing harm. When healthcare providers negligently fail to diagnose postpartum depression, it can have grave consequences and may constitute medical malpractice. If you or a loved one were harmed by a healthcare professional’s failure to diagnose postpartum depression, you may have grounds for pursuing damages, and you should speak to an attorney. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, our compassionate Syracuse medical malpractice attorneys are committed to helping victims of medical negligence seek justice, and if we represent you, we will diligently pursue any compensation available for your losses. We routinely represent people in medical malpractice lawsuits in Syracuse, Rochester, and Upstate New York.

Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can develop after childbirth, affecting mothers’ emotional, physical, and psychological well-being. Unlike the "baby blues," which are temporary and typically go away within a few weeks, postpartum depression is a more severe and long-lasting condition that often requires medical intervention. Symptoms can include extreme sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, fatigue, difficulty bonding with the baby, and even thoughts of self-harm or harming the baby. In some cases, postpartum depression may escalate to postpartum psychosis, a rare but life-threatening condition requiring immediate medical attention.

The consequences of untreated postpartum depression can be catastrophic. Mothers may struggle to care for their infants, putting the child’s health and development at risk. The mother’s relationships with her partner, family, and friends can also deteriorate, leading to further isolation and emotional distress. In the most tragic cases, untreated postpartum depression can result in suicide or harm to the baby. Because of these potential outcomes, timely diagnosis and treatment by healthcare providers are critical.

Doctors, midwives, nurses, and other medical professionals are expected to provide patients with competent care, which includes identifying risk factors for postpartum depression and monitoring patients for signs of the condition. Common risk factors include a history of depression or anxiety, a lack of social support, or complications during pregnancy or delivery. When a healthcare provider neglects to screen for postpartum depression or dismisses a mother’s symptoms as everyday stress or fatigue, it may constitute medical malpractice.

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider deviates from the accepted standard of care and causes harm to the patient as a result. Under New York law, to prevail in a medical malpractice claim, the plaintiff must typically establish the defendant’s negligence. To do so, they must first prove the existence of a provider-patient relationship, which creates a duty. The duty a healthcare provider owes a patient is to offer treatment that aligns with the standard of care, which is what is considered the good and accepted practice of medicine. The plaintiff then needs to establish that the defendant breached the duty owed by failing to meet the standard of care. Finally, the plaintiff has to offer evidence of a causal link between the breach and the harm suffered, and actual damages resulting from the harm.

In failure-to-diagnose cases, proving causation can be complex, as it often requires expert testimony to demonstrate how the provider’s negligence directly contributed to the worsening of the patient’s condition or other injuries.

Victims of the failure to diagnose postpartum depression may be entitled to recover compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include tangible financial losses such as medical expenses, the cost of therapy or psychiatric treatment, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity if the mother is unable to return to work due to her condition. Non-economic damages address more subjective losses, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and the impact of the condition on familial relationships.

If you or someone you love suffered due to a healthcare provider’s failure to diagnose postpartum depression, you have rights, and you should consult an attorney as soon as possible. The knowledgeable Syracuse medical malpractice attorneys at DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers are committed to holding negligent providers accountable for their actions, and if you hire us, we will zealously pursue the results you deserve. We regularly represent clients in medical malpractice cases in Syracuse, Rochester, and throughout Upstate New York. Contact us today to schedule a free, confidential consultation by using our online form or calling us at 833-200-2000.