Dear Colleague,
Australia recognized the third week of November as National Postnatal Depression Awareness Week, and a survey released during that week showed that half of Australians polled believed depression during and after pregnancy was "normal." A major concern with this perception that PND is a normal part of motherhood is that women may not seek treatment if they believe depression is to be expected. This misconception may be cause for concern, but it could also be taken a sign that the media-driven myth that all new moms ought to be happy and confident in their role is dissipating. The good news is that even with the confusion over the normalcy of perinatal depression, three-quarters of those surveyed agreed that women should be routinely screened for depression both during and after birth and 96% believed that women with PND need specialized treatment. According to the Web site for beyondblue, Australia's national depression awareness initiative and the authors of the study, around 15% of Australian women are affected by PND, roughly the same as here in the United States. This Web site also reports that $85 million has been committed by the Federal, State and Territory Governments to assess pregnant women and new mothers for perinatal depression and anxiety, and to provide better care and support over the next five years.
Medical
Updates
Impaired sleep and well-being in mothers with low-birth-weight infants.
Lee SY, Kimble LP.
J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2009 Nov-Dec;38(6):676-85.
Mothers of low birth-weight infants reported clinically significant sleep disturbance and fatigue.
The influence of prior perinatal loss on parents' psychological distress after the birth of a subsequent healthy infant.
Armstrong DS, Hutti MH, Myers J.
J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2009 Nov-Dec;38(6):654-66.
This study found that levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms gradually decrease in parents who undergo childbirth after previous loss of a child, but posttraumatic stress levels remain high.
The role of paternal support in the behavioural development of children exposed to postpartum depression.
Letourneau N, Duffett-Leger L, Salmani M.
Can J Nurs Res. 2009 Sep;41(3):86-106.
Fathers' ability and availability to provide social support for their depressed partners may affect childrens' behavioral outcomes such as anxiety, hyperactivity, and aggression.
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In
The
News
New help for moms with postpartum depression
CNN.com, November 10, 2009
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has recently opened the country's first inpatient psychiatric unit for women suffering perinatal mood disorders.
Perinatal depression often goes untreated, study says
Wisconsin State Journal, November 14, 2009
A study by the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health found that more than 65 percent of depressed mothers don't get adequate treatment for depression. Black, Hispanic and other minority mothers were among the least likely to be helped, and women with health insurance were more than three times as likely to receive adequate care compared to uninsured mothers.
Why the Joy of Having of Baby Can Make a Woman Feel Depressed
allAfrica.com, November 18, 2009
This report from Rwanda shows how awareness of postpartum depression is growing in the central African country.
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Events
Calendar
Providing Compassionate Care for Perinatal Loss and Grief
When: December 2
Where: Englewood, NJ
Holiday Open House Benefit for PSI
When: December 4
Where: Des Moines, IA
ACI 8th National Women’s Health Centers of Excellence Conference
When: December 7-9
Where: New Orleans, LA
Med
Ed
Resources
American Psychiatric Association
The APA, which represents nearly 36,000 psychiatrists worldwide, supports the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illnesses.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Web site provides information from the federal agency that conducts and supports research on mental illnesses.
WellPostpartum Weblog—Integrative Approaches to Maternal Mental Health
This blog describes nutritional and other non-pharmacological approaches to treating PPD.
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