November 23, 2021
by Patricia Tomasi
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and it is well known that there are strong links between parental and child depression. Understanding this relationship is key to trying to prevent intergenerational transmission. Worldwide, one in five women suffers from postpartum depression. A new study published in BJPsych looked at maternal and paternal depression and child mental health trajectories. “Our study is about tracking mood over time in children of parents who were depressed in pregnancy and/or after birth,” study author, Professor Rebecca Pearson of Manchester Metropolitan University/University of Bristol told us.
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May 5, 2020
by Patricia Tomasi
On May 6th, maternal mental health organizations around the globe will be joining forces to raise awareness during World Maternal Mental Health Day which falls on the first Wednesday of May each year. Advocates say there is a lack of universal screening and access to treatment for pregnant women, new mothers, and also new fathers and partners who may also be suffering from a perinatal mental illness.
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December 24, 2019
by Patricia Tomasi
After Ivana Poku became a mom, she was astonished and shocked by the reality of motherhood. “It was nothing like I had expected,” Poku told us. “I remember I could not wait to meet my twin boys and experience this immediate rush of love people were talking about. However, when that moment came, I felt nothing. I was glad they were ok. I was glad to have them, but there was no rush of love, no pure happiness, no fireworks. Immediately, I felt like a complete failure. And it didn’t get better from there.”
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September 17, 2019
by Patricia Tomasi
“We believe that these results highlight the importance of maternal mental health care among preterm infants´ mothers,” study author, Juliana Figueiredo told us. “Preterm birth is a global public health issue and we are usually aware of the challenges that this condition brings to the babies, as rates of morbidities and mortality among preterm babies are high. However, there is a growing literature of the impacts of preterm birth for parents and our findings reinforce the need of maternal mental health care among mothers of preterm infants.”
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May 21, 2019
by Patricia Tomasi
A new U.S. online survey conducted between April 4th and 8th, 2019, by the Harris Poll on behalf of MediaSource has found that 40 per cent of over 1200 women surveyed felt overwhelmed, depressed, or anxious following labor and that more than 25 per cent did not have a health care plan in place to cope with the "fourth trimester".
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April 4, 2019
by Elizabeth Pratt
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first drug designed specifically for the treatment of postpartum depression.
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February 26, 2019
by Patricia Tomasi
“Despite recent attention to postpartum depression and anxiety, women continue to be silenced by the taboo against expressing negative feelings and thoughts about being a mother,” Karen Kleiman told us. Kleiman is a postpartum expert and author of the new book, Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts: A Healing Guide to the Secret Fears of New Moms. “We have discovered, however, that when women find a safe place/person to disclose their unwanted and often intrusive thoughts, this decreases their anxiety, thus, helping them feel better.”
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January 1, 2019
by Patricia Tomasi
Postpartum mental illnesses such as postpartum depression can put a lot of strain on a relationship. A new study published in the journal, Frontiers in Psychology, examined the impact of postpartum post-traumatic stress and depression symptoms on a couple’s relationship satisfaction.
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December 18, 2018
by Patricia Tomasi
A United States national survey about postpartum depression was recently conducted by non-profit organization, HealthyWomen.org and sponsored by Sage Therapeutics. A total of 1064 women aged 18-49 completed the online survey between September 27 and October 10, 2018. Women were either pregnant or planning to become pregnant were surveyed in order to identify the perception and level of awareness of PPD.
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November 27, 2018
by Patricia Tomasi
The search is ongoing into the multiple causes of prenatal and postpartum depression (PPD), the umbrella term for several maternal mental health illnesses that also include anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder and psychosis. Now, a new Italian study adds to the ongoing research into the causes of PPD after its results show that new mothers are at an increased risk for anxiety following elective cesarean births.
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