Profile
Dr Chua Tze-Ern is a Senior Consultant and Head of Women’s Mental Wellness Service, under the Department of Psychological Medicine at KK Women's and Children's Hospital. Her clinical special interests are mood disorders, particularly in women around the time of pregnancy. She is an active researcher, serving as department Research Lead and having published scientific papers and book contributions. She holds teaching appointments at local medical schools and has lectured at local and international conferences. She is an advocate for patient safety and mental health awareness.
Education
- MMed (Psychiatry), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore, 2007
- MBBS, National University of Singapore, 2003
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Professional Appointments and Committee Memberships
- Head of Women’s Mental Wellness Service, Department of Psychological Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, 2020 till present
- Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, Department of Psychological Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, 2017 till present
- Consultant Psychiatrist, Department of Psychological Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, 2013-2017
- Associate Consultant Psychiatrist, Department of Psychological Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, 2010-2013
- Patient Safety Lead, Department of Psychological Medicine , KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), 2017-2020
- Research Lead, Department of Psychological Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, 2015 till present
- Joint Commission International representative, Department of Psychological Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, 2017, 2014 and 2011
- Khoo Scholar, Academic Medicine Research Institute, 2015-2016
- Designated Medical Practitioner, Institute of Mental Health (IMH), 2012-2014
- Honorary Clinical Research Worker, King’s College London, UK, 2012-2013
- Member, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital Serious Reportable Events Committee, 2011-2012
- Member, Ministry of Health (MOH) Clinical Practice Guidelines Bipolar Disorder Workgroup, 2010-2011
- Member, Institute of Mental Health (IMH) Affective Disorders Service, 2009-2012
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Awards
- KKH Service From The Heart Award, 2022
- KKH Target Zero Harm Team Award (Merit), 2020
- SingHealth Singapore Health Quality Service (Gold) Award, 2019
- National Healthcare Group Outstanding Education Partner Award, 2017
- SingHealth Singapore Health Quality Service (Silver) Award, 2016
- KKH Service From The Heart Award, 2016
- KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) Long Service Award, 2014
- MOH Health Manpower Development Plan Award, 2012
- Institute of Mental Health (IMH) Long Service Award, 2010
- 7th Singapore International Congress of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Best Poster Award, 2009
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Research Interests
- Perinatal psychiatry
- Mood and anxiety disorders
- Liaison psychiatry
- Mental health advocacy
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Publications
- Chan C, Poon SH, Chua TE, Razali NS, Tan KH, Chen H. A Prospective study of the relationship between sleep quality and depression in pregnancy. Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare 2022; 0(0): 1–7
- Pan JY, Yong FSH, Chua TE, Chen H. Tele-Balint under the microscope: what really happens in Tele-Balint groups. The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine 2022; 0(0): 1–18
- Tan HS, Agarthesh T, Tan CW, Sultana R, Chen HY, Chua TE, Sng BL. Perceived stress during labor and its association with depressive symptomatology, anxiety, and pain catastrophizing. Scientific Reports 2021; 11: 17005
- Tan CW, Tan HS, Sultana R, Chui A, Chua TE, Chen H, Sng BL. Association of childbirth pain with postnatal depressive and anxiety disorders in nulliparous parturients: a prospective study. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment 2021:17 2625–2636
- Zeng Y, Tan CW, Sultana R, Chua TE, Chen HY, Sia ATH, Sng BL. Association of pain catastrophizing with postnatal depressive states in nulliparous parturients: a prospective study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2020; 16: 1853-62
- Chan CLJ, Tan CW, Chan JJI, Sultana R, Chua TE, Chen HY, Sia ATH, Sng BL. Factors associated with the development of postnatal depression after Cesarean delivery: a prospective study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2020; 16: 715-27
- Lim H, Chua TE, Malhotra R, Allen JC, Chern B, Tan KH, Chen H. Trajectories of antenatal maternal psychological stress and their association with gestational age and neonatal anthropometry: A prospective cohort study of multi-ethnic Asian women in an urban setting. Asian Journal of Psychiatry 2020; 101923
- Lim H, Chua TE, Malhotra R, Allen JC, Teo I, Chern B, Tan KH, Chen H. Identifying trajectories of antenatal depression in Asian women and their associations with gestational age and neonatal anthropometry: A prospective cohort study. General Hospital Psychiatry 2019; 61: 26-33
- Ong LL, Ch’ng YC, Chua TE, Chen H. A cross-sectional survey of what patients find most therapeutic in perinatal mental healthcare in Singapore. Asian Journal of Psychiatry 2019; 43: 57-9
- Chua TE, Bautista DC, Tan KH, Yeo G, Chen H. Antenatal anxiety: prevalence and patterns in a routine obstetric population. Ann Acad Med Singapore 2018; 47: 405-12
- Osborne S, Biaggi A, Chua TE, Du Preez A, Hazelgrove K, Nikkheslat N, Previti G, Zunszain P, Conroy S, Pariante C. Antenatal depression programs cortisol stress reactivity in offspring through increased maternal inflammation and cortisol in pregnancy: the Psychiatry Research and Motherhood – Depression (PRAM-D) Study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 98: 211-21
- Siak JE, Chua TE, Umboh SJ, Chen H. Psychotropic prescription in antenatal depression, anxiety and adjustment disorders in Singapore. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry 2018; 19(1): 115-23
- Investigation of variants in estrogen receptor genes and perinatal depression. Tan EC, Lim HW, Chua TE, Tan HS, Lee TMY, Chen H. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment 2018; 14: 919-25
- Psychotropic prescription in antenatal depression, anxiety and adjustment disorders in Singapore. Siak JE, Chua TE, Umboh SJ, Chen H. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry. Article in press as of Mar 2018.
- [Poster] What difference does screening make in postnatal depression?
Chua TE, Tang J, Chia B, Chen H. Presented at the 17th International Forum on Mood & Anxiety Disorders in Madrid, Spain. 2017.
- Patterns and predictors of treatment outcome in antenatal depression.
Chua TE, Allen JC, Ang L, Ong LL, Ch’ng YC, Chen H. Singapore Medical Journal 2017; 58(11): 642-8.
- [Book] The practical handbook of psychiatry by psychiatrists for non-psychiatrists. Gosai I,
Chua TE, Lijo A. ISBN 978-981-09-8316-1. 2016.
- Mental illness: the big blind spot.
Chua TE. Clinical Psychiatry 2016; 2(2).
- Case-control study of glucocorticoid receptor and corticotrophin-releasing hormone receptor gene variants and risk of perinatal depression. Tan EC,
Chua TE, Lee T, Tan HS, Ting JLY, Chen H. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 2015; 15(1): 283.
- Ending the silent struggle.
Chua TE. Special Delivery Nov-Dec 2015: 8-9.
- [Poster] Duration of untreated illness in postnatal depression: early data regarding impact on clinical course.
Chua TE, Tang J, Chia B, Chen H. Presented at the World Psychiatric Association International Congress of Psychiatry in Taipei, Taiwan. 2015.
- Association of premenstrual/menstrual symptoms with perinatal depression and a polymorphic repeat in the polyglutamine tract of the retinoic acid induced 1 gene. Tan EC, Tan HS,
Chua TE, Lee T, Ng J, Ch’ng YC, Choo CH, Chen H. Journal of Affective Disorders 2014; 161: 43-6.
- [Poster] Antenatal stress: who does it happen to?
Chua TE, Tan KH, Ng MJ, Razali NS, Yeo G, Kwek K, Chen H. Presented at the 4th International Regional (North America) Stress & Behaviour Conference in New Orleans, USA. 2014.
- [Poster] The course of antenatal anxiety through the trimesters.
Chua TE, Tan KH, Ng MJ, Razali NS, Yeo G, Kwek K, Chen H. Presented at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Scientific Congress in Singapore. 2014.
- Antenatal depression in a high-risk pregnancy.
Chua TE, Wang J, Chen H. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry Jan-Jun 2014: 15(1).
- [Book chapters] MOH Clinical Practice Guidelines: Bipolar disorder; chapters on Special Populations and Electroconvulsive Therapy. Mok YM, Chan HN, Chee KS,
Chua TE, Lim BL, Marziyana AR, Peh LH, Song CH, Tung YC, Yap P, Yong M. ISBN 978-981-07-0425-4. 2011.
- MOH Clinical Practice Guidelines: Bipolar disorder. Mok YM, Chan HN, Chee KS,
Chua TE, Lim BL, Marziyana AR, Peh LH, Song CH, Tung YC, Yap P, Yong M. Singapore Medical Journal 2011; 52(12): 914-9.
- Bipolar disorder and depression – Unit 6: special populations.
Chua TE. The Singapore Family Physician 2011; 37(4): 31-4.
- [Poster] The story behind Singapore’s first Affective Disorders Service.
Chua TE, Ang HJ, Mok YM. Presented at the 3rd World Congress of Asian Psychiatry in Melbourne, Australia. 2011.
- [Poster] Acceptability and outcome of treatment for postnatal depression.
Chua TE, Ch’ng YC, Mingoo R, Ong J, Chen H. Presented at the 6th KKH Annual Scientific Meeting in Singapore. 2011.
- [Poster] Depression and anxiety in a high-risk pregnancy.
Chua TE, Wang J, Chen H. Presented at the 6th KKH Annual Scientific Meeting in Singapore. 2011.
- [Poster] Factors associated with treatment outcome of antenatal depression.
Chua TE, Wang J, Chen H. Presented at The Legacy of Channi Kumar in London, UK. 2011.
- [Poster] One-year results of Singapore’s first postnatal depression intervention programme.
Chua TE, Ch’ng YC, Wang J, Mingoo R, Ong J, Chen H. Winner of Best Poster Award at the 7th Singapore International Congress of Obstetrics & Gynaecology in Singapore. 2009.
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Research Trials
- Integrated Psychological Program for Management of Postnatal Depression and Persistent postpartum Pain after Childbirth: CODEPAD − II (Collaborative Outcomes of DEpression and Pain Associated with Delivery− II), 2022 till present
- Tele-Balint @ KKH under the microscope: What really happens in Tele-Balint groups? 2020-21
- Prospective follow-up of women with mental health disorders, 2018 till present
- Comparison of the role of epidural analgesia versus non-epidural analgesia in postnatal depression and persistent pain development: a randomized controlled trial CODEPAD (Collaborative Outcomes of DEpression and Pain Associated with Delivery), 2017 till present
- Trajectories of Perinatal Stress, Depression, and Anxiety: Risk Factors and Associations with Neonatal Anthropometry, 2017
- Longitudinal evaluation of the impact of duration of untreated illness on symptom severity, mother-infant bonding and treatment response in postnatal depression, 2015-18
- Genetic variations and treatment response to Escitalopram in major depression, 2015-19
- Comparison of variable-frequency automated mandatory bolus, computer-integrated patient controlled epidural analgesia and conventional patient controlled epidural analgesia during labour based on their effects on labour pain, maternal outcomes, operative and instrumental deliveries, 2014 till present
- Improving the adverse outcomes of pregnancy - clinical/translational research program in perinatal medicine - Neonatal & Obstetric Risk Assessment, 2013-15
- Sequence variation of genes in the estrogen pathway and perinatal depression, 2010-12
- Clinical audit of postnatal depression intervention programme, 2010 till present
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