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Help With Postpartum Depression

Curated and updated for the community by APA

Topic Information

For most women, having a baby is a very exciting, joyous, and often anxious time. But for women with postpartum, or peripartum, depression it can become very distressing and difficult. Postpartum depression is a serious, but treatable medical illness involving feelings of extreme sadness, indifference and/or anxiety, as well as changes in energy, sleep, and appetite. It carries risks for the mother and child.

See definition, symptoms, & treatment

  • Mar 04, 2019
New Recommendations May Help Prevent Depression in New Mothers

Perinatal depression refers to depression that occurs during pregnancy or following childbirth. It affects more than one in nine new mothers and can be harmful not only for the mother, but also for the infant. Despite media attention and celebrities sharing about their experiences with peripartum depression, it very often goes unrecognized and untreated.

  • Feb 06, 2018
Social Interventions for Depression

Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions and is the leading cause of disease burden worldwide. Older, isolated adults who have little regular social interaction may be particularly at risk. Researchers in Canada wanted to look at whether interventions that aim to facilitate interaction and connection among individuals could reduce depression.

  • Dec 12, 2017
Online Mental Health Screenings: A Potential First Step

Several organizations provide brief online screenings for depression, anxiety, PTSD and other mental health conditions. More than one million people took screenings through the Mental Health America site alone in 2016.

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Patient Story

Patient Stories

Maya is a 32-year-old fit, vibrant lawyer. She had been married for more than two years and was expecting her first child, a baby boy. She had a history of depression and generalized anxiety disorder.

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DEC 18, 2018

Making a Difference: Pediatricians and Maternal Peripartum Depression

AAP News

In a recently released issue of Pediatrics, both an AAP Policy Statement and an AAP Technical Report address “Incorporating Recognition and Management of Perinatal Depression into Pediatric Practice.  Perinatal depression is both the most prevalent (15-20% prevalence) and the most underdiagnosed and undertreated obstetrical complication. It is estimated that 50% of women who are perinatally depressed are neither diagnosed nor treated.

DEC 18, 2018

Allegheny Health Network opens area's first postpartum depression mental health center

HWPXI Pittsburgh

West Penn Hospital just opened a 1st of its kind center in the region for women with postpartum depression and other perinatal mental health. One family’s tragedy eventually helped the development of an important new resource and safety net for many others.  Officials are hoping it will help break down the stigma and allow more to get needed help.

DEC 18, 2018

Dealing with Postpartum Depression During the Holidays

WTVD-TV-22

It's the Holiday season which is a mother's favorite time of year, right? We work hard to put together a perfect holiday card and make sure that everyone around us is happy. What we don't usually do is take the time to care for ourselves, to make sure we are well rested and healthy. For a mother that is suffering from a perinatal mood disorder (PMD) like depression, anxiety or OCD, the holidays can make those feelings even stronger. I, along with many other women, suffer from postpartum depression and anxiety and it's something that we don't often talk about..