Dr Chua Tze-Ern

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DR CHUA TZE-ERN 蔡诗茵医生

  • MBBS, MMed (Psychiatry)
  • Medical Director
  • Senior Consultant Psychiatrist
  • Languages: English, Mandarin, basic Teochew
Dr Chua Tze-Ern is a Senior Consultant psychiatrist with over 20 years’ experience in the assessment and treatment of a broad range of mental health conditions in adults and adolescents. Her clinical interests include depressive and anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, women’s and reproductive mental health, stressor-related conditions and adult ADHD.
Prior to entering private practice, Dr Chua served as a Senior Consultant psychiatrist in the Department of Psychological Medicine at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), where she headed the Women’s Mental Wellness Service from 2020 to 2024. During her time at KKH, she provided outpatient psychiatric care and inpatient consultation-liaison services and led multidisciplinary clinical teams. She was also involved in service development, clinical governance, education and research, including the teaching and supervision of medical students, doctors in training and multidisciplinary healthcare professionals.
Dr Chua’s clinical experience spans adolescence through adulthood and includes the assessment and management of depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder and adult ADHD. She also works with individuals experiencing mental health difficulties in the context of significant life transitions, occupational stress, relationship and interpersonal difficulties, and adjustment to changing personal or work circumstances.
She has a particular interest and extensive experience in women’s and reproductive mental health. This includes antenatal and postnatal mood and anxiety disorders, psychiatric aspects of subfertility and pregnancy loss, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and mental health concerns associated with perimenopause. Her work in this area has involved close collaboration with colleagues across obstetrics and gynaecology, fertility medicine, paediatrics, general practice and allied health services.
In her clinical practice, Dr Chua is empathic and compassionate and values a respectful, collaborative therapeutic relationship. She takes time to understand each person’s experiences, symptoms and circumstances, as well as their treatment goals and the factors contributing to their difficulties. She works together with patients to develop an individualised treatment and recovery plan based on careful clinical assessment, their own priorities and preferences, and current medical evidence.

Professional Appointments

  • Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, Department of Psychological Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) (2017–2025)
  • Head, Women’s Mental Wellness Service, KKH (2020–2024)
  • Lead, Psychological Resilience in Antenatal Management (PRAM), MOH-funded initiative (2022–2025)
  • Research Lead, Department of Psychological Medicine, KKH (2015–2025)
  • Patient Safety Lead, Department of Psychological Medicine, KKH (2018–2020)

Teaching and academic appointments

Dr Chua has been actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education throughout her career. Her academic appointments included:
  • Clinical Teacher, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (2016–2025)
  • Clinical Assistant Professor, Duke-NUS Medical School (2014–2025)
  • Clinical Teacher, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (2010–2025)
  • Lecturer, Graduate Diploma in Mental Health (2010–2025)
Dr Chua also served as an examiner for the Psychiatry Exit Examinations and has taught psychiatry residents in perinatal and reproductive psychiatry. Her teaching experience extends across disciplines and has included education for colleagues in obstetrics and gynaecology, family medicine and primary care, as well as nursing and allied health professionals.

Awards

  • Long Service Award (20 Years), KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, 2024
  • COVID-19 Resilience Medal, 2023
  • Singapore Health Quality Service Award (Gold), 2019
  • Singapore Health Quality Service Award (Silver), 2017
  • Outstanding Education Partner Award, National Healthcare Group, 2017
  • Health Manpower Development Programme (HMDP) Award – King’s College London Attachment, 2012
  • Best Poster Award, 7th Singapore International Congress of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 2009

Selected publications and academic work

Dr Chua has contributed to research, clinical guidelines and professional education in psychiatry, with particular interests in mood disorders, women’s mental health and reproductive psychiatry.

Books, guidelines and chapters

  • The Practical Handbook of Psychiatry by Psychiatrists for Non-Psychiatrists
  • Gosai I, Chua TE, Alias L. 2016.
  • Editor and joint author.
  • MOH Clinical Practice Guidelines: Bipolar Disorder
  • Mok YM, Chan HN, Chee KS, Chua TE, et al. Ministry of Health, Singapore. 2011.
  • Contributing author: “Special Populations” and “Electroconvulsive Therapy”.
  • I Don’t Want To
  • A collection of anecdotes by users of the Child & Adolescent Mental Wellness Service. KKH, 2017.
  • Joint editor.

Selected research publications

  • Consensus Statements on Perinatal Depression and Anxiety in the Asia-Pacific Region
  • Chua TE, et al. Asian Journal of Psychiatry. 2025.
  • View publication
  • Does the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) Identify Antenatal Depression and Antenatal Anxiety Disorders? A Validation Study in Singapore
  • Zeng N, Goh PHY, Chua TE, et al.Journal of Affective Disorders.
  • View publication
  • Consensus Statement on Singapore Perinatal Mental Health Guidelines on Depression and Anxiety
  • Chen H, Chua TE, et al. Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore. 2023;52(9):467–475.
  • View publication
  • The Postnatal Depression Intervention Program (PNDIP): A 10-Year Review
  • Hong LF, Chua TE, Ch’ng YC, Chui K, Chen HY.Asian Journal of Psychiatry. 2023;90:103807.
  • View publication
  • Identifying Trajectories of Antenatal Depression in Women and Their Associations with Gestational Age and Neonatal Anthropometry
  • Lim HA, Chua TE, et al.General Hospital Psychiatry. 2019;61:26–33.
  • View publication
  • Antenatal Depression Programs Cortisol Stress Reactivity in Offspring Through Increased Maternal Inflammation and Cortisol in Pregnancy
  • Osborne S, Biaggi A, Chua TE, et al. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2018;98:211–221.
  • Read full text
  • Antenatal Anxiety: Prevalence and Patterns in a Routine Obstetric Population
  • Chua TE, Bautista DC, Tan KH, Yeo G, Chen H.Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore. 2018;47(10):405–412.
  • View publication
  • Association of Premenstrual/Menstrual Symptoms with Perinatal Depression
  • Tan EC, et al., Chua TE, et al. Journal of Affective Disorders 2014;161:43–46.
  • View publication

Additional research publications

  • Perinatal Mental Health in Singapore—Prevalence, Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices
  • Poo ZX, Chen HY, Chua TE, et alFrontiers in Medicine. 2025.
  • View publication
  • Investigating Factors Associated with the Development of Postnatal Depression After Cesarean Delivery: A Validation Cohort Study
  • Tan DJA, et al., Chua TE, Sng BL.Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2024;20:439–447.
  • View publication
  • Understanding the Help-Seeking Behaviours of Women at Risk of Postnatal Depression
  • Siak JE, Wang BJ, Chua TE, Ch’ng YC, Chen H. 2024.
  • View publication
  • Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Prevalence of Postnatal Depression in Singapore
  • Chen KK, Umboh SJ, Chua TE, et al. 2023.
  • View publication
  • Tele-Balint Under the Microscope: What Really Happens in Tele-Balint Groups?
  • Pan JY, Yong FSH, Chua TE, Chen HY. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine. 2023;58(3):231–248.
  • View publication
  • Perinatal Mental Telehealth: A Singaporean Experience Born in COVID-19
  • Hong LF, Chua TE, Koh LPD. Singapore Medical Journal. 2022.
  • Read full text
  • Association of Childbirth Pain with Postnatal Depressive and Anxiety Disorders in Nulliparous Parturients: A Prospective Study
  • Tan CW, et al., Chua TE, Chen H, Sng BL.Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2021;17:2625–2636.
  • View publication
  • Factors Associated with the Development of Postnatal Depression After Cesarean Delivery: A Prospective Study
  • Chan CLJ, et al., Chua TE, et al. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2020;16:715–727.
  • Read full text
  • Trajectories of Antenatal Maternal Psychological Stress and Their Association with Gestational Age and Neonatal Anthropometry
  • Lim HA, Chua TE, et al. Asian Journal of Psychiatry. 2020;48:101923.
  • View publication
  • A Cross-Sectional Survey of What Patients Find Most Therapeutic in Perinatal Mental Healthcare in Singapore
  • Ong LL, Ch’ng YC, Chua TE, Chen HY.Asian Journal of Psychiatry. 2019;43:57–59.
  • View publication
  • Investigation of Variants in Estrogen Receptor Genes and Perinatal Depression
  • Tan EC, et al., Chua TE, et al.Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2018;14:919–925.
  • View publication
  • Psychotropic Prescription in Antenatal Depression, Anxiety and Adjustment Disorders in Singapore
  • Siak JE, et al., Chua TE, et al.ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry. 2018;19(1):115–123.
  • Patterns and Predictors of Treatment Outcome for Antenatal Major Depression
  • Chua TE, Allen JC, Ang L, Ong LL, Ch’ng YC, Chen H. Singapore Medical Journal. 2017;58(11):642–648.
  • Read full text
  • Glucocorticoid and Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor Gene Variants and Perinatal Depression
  • Tan EC, et al., Chua TE, et al. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2015;15:283.
  • Antenatal Depression in High-Risk Pregnancy
  • Chua TE, et al. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry. 2014;15(1):86–89.

Professional articles and commentary

  • Building a Strong Village to Support Mothers
  • Chen H, Chua TE. SMA News. March 2024.
  • Read article
  • Mental Illness: The Big Blind Spot
  • Chua TE. Clinical Psychiatry. 2016;2(2):6.
  • Read article
  • Bipolar Disorder and Depression — Special Populations
  • Chua TE. Singapore Family Physician. 2011;37(4):31–34.

Selected media interviews

  • ‘Feeling Like a Failure’: Mums Tell How Pressure to Breastfeed Led to Anxiety, Depression
  • CNA, 22 September 2024
  • Read article
  • ‘It’s Not Just Hormones’: Current Management of Postpartum Depression Falls Short, More Intervention Needed
  • CNA Women, 27 December 2023
  • Read article
  • Don’t Dismiss Signs of Postnatal Depression as Weakness: Doctors
  • The Straits Times, 12 December 2023
  • Read article
  • About 8% of Expectant Mothers Found to Have Signs of Prenatal Depression Following KKH Screening
  • CNA, 28 September 2023
  • Read article
  • Facing Depression: A Woman’s Perspective
  • Channel NewsAsia, 23 February 2018
  • Watch programme
  • Live Interview on Depression
  • 938NOW Body & Soul, 2 March 2018
  • For Some Women, the Stork Also Delivers the Blues
  • TODAY, 21 December 2016
  • Read article
  • Live Interview on Postnatal Depression
  • 938, 9 November 2010
  • View publication