June 29, 2008
Maternity blues as a predictor of DSM-IV depression and anxiety in the first three months postpartum
Based on our predominantly middle class low-risk sample, maternity blues prevalence may be underestimated.
Read more in J of Affective Disorders
Ever-shrinking maternity/paternity leaves
Only 16% of employers offer full pay for childbirth leave, down from 27% in 1998, based on a nationally representative sample of 1,100 employers by the nonprofit Families and Work Institute. The average maximum length of job-guaranteed leaves for new mothers shrank too, to 15.2 weeks from 16.1 weeks a decade ago; leave for dads fell to 12.6 weeks from 13.1.
Daddies Go Digital With New Social Networks, Dads Have Sites to Call Their Own
Several social networking sites just for fathers have recently caught the attention of eager daddies across the country, researchers say. Sites such as www.dadosphere.com, www.justdaddys.net and www.discoveringdad.net offer fathers the opportunity to connect with each other and blog on issues such as handling their wives’ postpartum depression.
Alleged murder-suicide attempt could be example of postpartum ailment dangers that can last years
Psychologists say about one in 1,000 new mothers suffer from a potentially severe condition known as postpartum depression, something investigators said might have affected Moulder.
Read more in the Beaumont Enterprise
Shining a light after tragedy follows birth
Almost immediately after the infanticide the Bankston’s family decided to create a nonprofit organization, Jenny’s Light, to raise awareness about perinatal mood disorders - depression, psychosis and other mental problems that develop during pregnancy and up to one year after childbirth. The goal is to help other suffering mothers move out of darkness and into light.
Read more in the Birmingham News
Brooke Shields publishes first children’s book
Brooke Shields, who will publish her first children’s book on Tuesday, said writing the 145-word story was more difficult than recording her struggle with postpartum depression.
For more information read Yahoo News
Depression may be next battle for teen moms
Last week, Britney Spears’ 17-year old sister gave birth to a girl named Maddie, and the country was shocked to learn of an alleged pregnancy pact among girls in a Massachusetts high school. Rearing babies isn’t the only difficulty young mothers face. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teen moms have a higher than usual risk of developing postpartum depression (PPD).
For more information read NY Daily News
Postpartum mothers should avoid tilefish, king mackerel, swordfish and shark
Families on the go looking for a quick, affordable and nutrient-packed meal are hooked on tuna. No longer restricted to casseroles or plain sandwiches, canned tuna can make a great warm-weather meal, whether it’s part of a traditional tuna salad, eaten as a spread or even over pasta for a light and delicious lunch.
For more information read Nutrition News and Quotes
June 11, 2008
Downsizing Maternity Leave: Employers Cut Pay, Time Off
Employers are cutting back on post-childbirth pay for mothers and offering shorter leaves, on average, for both moms and dads, compared with a decade ago. This comes despite research showing attentive nurturing has particular developmental power in a baby’s first year, and that longer leaves can ease postpartum depression in some mothers. The pattern heightens the need for parents to plan carefully for time off post-childbirth.
For more information go to the Wall Street Journal
WellPoint providing ‘tool kits’ to assist new mothers
Health benefits provider WellPoint announced Tuesday that it is making special tool kits available to obstetricians and pediatricians that are designed to help them detect and treat postpartum depression. This is part of a broader move by the company to expand its maternity depression program to aid in depression screening, education and support.
For more information see the Indianapolis Star
June 9, 2008
Postpartum Mothers Of Twins Have Significant Sleep Restriction, Depressive Symptoms
Postpartum mothers of twins have significant sleep restriction and depressive symptoms, according to a research abstract that will be presented on June 9 at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS).
7 Steps to Stop Postpartum Depression Before It Starts
Mental health officals recommend: Attending hospital-sponsored parenting classes. Designing a financial plan to address expected baby-related expenses. Devising strategies for shared childcare responsibilities. The father, for example, may handle a nighttime feeding by using formula or pumped breast milk. Addressing marital or relationship issues before the child is born. Hiring domestic help or asking a family member to baby-sit once a week. Understanding that sex lives change with the birth and may not return to normal for a year or more. Joining a support group for new fathers or reading about depression on websites.
A 6-month study of postpartum depression and related factors in Athens Greece
The women’s emotional condition before and after delivery, obsessionality, and difficulties in regulating the infant’s emotions appear to contribute to the development of PPD during the first 6 months after delivery.
Read more in Comprehensive Psychiatry Volume 49, Issue 3, May-June 2008, Pages 275-282
Patterns of maternal responding in postpartum mothers with schizophrenia
The schizophrenia group exhibited non-responses as a result of being psychologically withdrawn from the interaction, and abnormal behaviors. Inconsistent to our hypothesis, infants in both groups showed similar levels of activity, initiative and negativity. The findings highlight the need for further research to examine the contribution of maternal response impairments to the developmental vulnerability of this genetically high-risk group.
Read more in Infant Behavior and Development
A population-based survey of women’s traditional postpartum behaviours in Northern China
Women’s traditional postpartum behaviours assessed by our postpartum behaviour questionnaire showed that most women adhered to traditional customs, drastically changing their practices in eating, sanitation, dress, activity, and household chores during the period of ‘doing the month.’
Read more in Midwifery Volume 24, Issue 2, June 2008, Pages 238-245
Detecting perinatal common mental disorders in Ethiopia: Validation of the self-reporting questionnaire and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ) were evaluated in perinatal women in rural Ethiopia. EPDS demonstrated limited clinical utility as a screen for perinatal CMD in this rural, low-income setting. The SRQ-20 was superior to EPDS across all domains for evaluating cultural equivalence and showed validity as a dimensional measure of perinatal CMD.
Read more in Journal of Affective Disorders Volume 108, Issue 3, June 2008, Pages 251-262
Weight-Management Interventions for Pregnant or Postpartum Women
The interventions addressed modifications in diet and exercise and included individual or group-counseling sessions combined with written and telephone correspondence or food and exercise diaries. In two studies, the weight-related outcome was significantly better in the intervention group than in the control group. The third study found a significant interaction between weight category and intervention group. In all studies, the refusal or attrition rates were high.
Read more in American Journal of Preventive Medicine Vol 34, Issue 6, June 2008, Pp 523-528
The utility of maternal depression screening in the third trimester
Screening for depression in the third trimester resulted in a comparable prevalence rate of depressive risk identification when compared with the postpartum time frame. Unique women were identified before and after delivery who may have been missed if screening had not been performed twice.
Read more in American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
The role of Dependency and Self-Criticism in the relationship between postpartum depression and anger
Self-Criticism was associated with high levels of trait anger, low control of anger, and high levels of anger towards the self and others. Hence, these personality factors should be taken into account in both research and treatment of anger in depression.
Read more in Personality and Individual Differences Vol 45, Issue 1, July 2008, Pages 34-40
The impact of early discharge laws on the health of newborns
Using an interrupted time series design and a census of births in California over a 6-year period, we show that state and federal laws passed in the late 1990s designed to increase the length of postpartum hospital stays reduced considerably the fraction of newborns that were discharged early.
Read more in the Journal of Health Economics Volume 27, Issue 4, July 2008, Pages 843-870
Postnatal depression and mother and infant outcomes after infant massage
At one year, massage-group mothers had non-depressed levels of sensitivity of interaction with their babies, whereas the support group did not.
Read more in J of Affective Disorders Volume 109, Issues 1-2, July 2008, Pages 189-192
Non-psychotic psychiatric disorders after childbirth
The overall 6-week prevalence rate for postpartum psychiatric disorders was and 2.0% of postpartum women met criteria for more than one disorder. Mood disorders was the most prevalent group followed by adjustment disorders, and anxiety disorders (Spain).
Read more in J of Affective Disorders July 2008, Pages 171-176
Prepregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain and postpartum outcome
Although both maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) may affect birth weight, complications of pregnancy and delivery and with postpartum weight retention are unclear.
For more information see Am J of Clincical Nutrition
June 8, 2008
Babies behind bars
The prison’s Residential Parenting Program allows inmates serving terms of no more than three years and who give birth while incarcerated to keep their children with them until the end of their sentence or until the child is 2 years old, whichever comes sooner. Experts believe the time together allows babies to bond with their mothers and leads to lower recidivism rates among inmates.
For more information see Monterey Herald
27-year-old woman remembered as a “model mom” is in the Winnebago County (WI) Jail, facing first-degree homicide charge.
Mothers who deliberately kill their child or children often had related their distress to family members, friends or even health professionals, Meyer said, but “their complaints were dismissed or not thoroughly addressed. For example, they were put on medications with no follow-up counseling. There were plenty of warning signs in most cases.”
For more information see Appleton (WI) Post-Crescent
June 7, 2008
Assisted reproduction may increase risk for postpartum depression
In a study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, a team of Australian researchers analyzed data from more than 700 women who were admitted to a hospital unit for new mothers suffering from mood disorders or exhaustion and for infants with sleeping or feeding difficulties. Women who conceive using assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as in vitro fertilization may face a heightened risk for postpartum depression and other early parenting difficulties, research indicates.
Nursing professor leads the way for ‘telepsychiatry’ by nurses to treat postpartum depression
Women suffering with postpartum depression may in future be able to receive psychotherapy from a specially trained nurse over the phone, eliminating barriers to treatment such as distance, time, or the availability of a psychologist or psychiatrist.
National postpartum illness screening effort stalls
National postpartum illness screening effort has stalled in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees in part due to Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, an obstetrician so well-known for delaying legislation that he is called Dr. No by Republicans and Democrats alike.
Read more at the New Jersey Record
Prevalence of Self-Reported Postpartum Depressive Symptoms—17 States, 2004-2005
CDC analyzed data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) for 2004-2005 (the most recent data available) to (1) assess the prevalence of self-reported postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS) among mothers by selected demographic characteristics and other possible risk factors for PDS and (2) determine factors that identify mothers most likely to develop PPD. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that, during 2004-2005, the prevalence of self-reported PDS in 17 U.S. states* ranged from 11.7% (Maine) to 20.4% (New Mexico).
Read full report from Journal of American Medical Association
7 Steps to Stop Postpartum Depression Before It Starts
Familiarity with the signs of depression and advanced preparation for changes that accompany the birth of a baby may help prevent postpartum depression, which experts now realize affects men as well as women
For full story see US News and World Report
Questions Linger in Tragedy
No one knows why Shannon Elizabeth Steinbach did the unthinkable. Police in Schleswig, Iowa say the mother of two killed her infant child and then killed herself.
For full story go to WOWT, Omaha.
Woman who pleaded ‘baby blues’ in infant death now says she’s sane
Sheryl Massip was found not guilty by reason of insanity 20 years ago for running over son while suffering postpartum psychosis.
Find full story in Orange County News
Margaret Trudeau has spent years quietly living in sadness
The former wife of Canada’s 15th prime minister is now off the roller-coaster and has regained her life.
For full story see North Bay News
June 6, 2008
22nd Annual Postpartum Support International Conference
The conference will examine the topic of maternal mental health from a variety of vantage points according to the systems involved including medical, psychological, familial, cultural, legal, governmental, and others.
June 1, 2008
Understanding postpartum depression
To combat postpartum depression, new moms need plenty of rest and should try to stop ‘doing it all.’
Full Story From Health News New Jersey
Postpartum Depression: Not Just For Moms
Up to 10% of dads experience postpartum depression — twice the rate of men in the general population — but it often goes unrecognized and untreated…
Full Story from GNIF Brain Blogger