The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act — named for an Illinois woman who committed suicide three months after giving birth — was approved by the House of Representatives in October. This article from the North Jersey Record reports that the legislation has been held up in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee.
Opposition [...]
Category Archives: Postpartum Disorders

MOTHERS Act Legislation Faces Opposition
Posted on June 4, 2008

Postnatal depression in men links to psychiatric illness in their children
Posted on May 26, 2008
While many studies have looked at the impact of postpartum depression in mothers on their children, there is very limited data on postnatal depression in the fathers and the potential impact it may have on their children.
Researchers at the University of Oxford recently examined predictors of postnatal depression in the fathers and studied the link [...]

Eating Disorders in Pregnancy and Postpartum
Posted on May 8, 2008
The British Medical Journal recently published a brief, but comprehensive review of eating disorders in pregnancy by Veronica Bridget Ward. Eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and eating disorder not otherwise specified) most commonly occur in women of reproductive age and may be influenced by pregnancy and its associated weight gain and change [...]

Show Your Support for Postpartum Depression Legislation
Posted on May 2, 2008
Please sign this online petition to support passage of The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act. A companion bill passed in the House of Representatives last fall to a nearly unanimous bipartisan vote. Democratic Senators Obama and Clinton both support this legislation along with Republican Senators including Olympia Snowe of Maine. Please help us gain our [...]

22nd Annual Postpartum Support International Conference
Posted on April 17, 2008
The 22nd Annual Postpartum Support International (PSI) Conference will be held in Houston, TX from June 4 through June 7, 2008. The theme of this year’s conference is “Maternal Health, a Multisystemic View.” One of the featured speakers is Valerie Plame, former CIA agent and author of “Fair Game: My Life as [...]

Migraine Headaches Associated with the Menstrual Cycle
Posted on April 10, 2008
Up to 25% of women experience migraine headaches during their reproductive years; often migraine headaches may be triggered or exacerbated by hormonal changes. It has been estimated that 7-14% of women experience migraines only during the premenstrual or menstrual phase of their cycles. Another 52-70% experience headaches throughout the month but note increased [...]

Obesity Linked to Postpartum Depression Risk
Posted on April 3, 2008
Previous studies have linked postpartum depression (PPD) to numerous risk factors, including depression during pregnancy, a history of depression prior to pregnancy, as well as marital problems, recent stressful events, and inadequate social supports.
Research conducted at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City now suggests that obesity may place women at increased risk of [...]

Fish Oil and Postpartum Depression
Posted on February 20, 2008
One treatment that has recently received a great deal of interest lately is fish oil. There is some preliminary evidence to suggest that the omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish and fish oil, including eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA), have an antidepressant effect. It has been discovered that mothers selectively [...]

Depression Related to Childbirth Affects One in Seven Women
Posted on December 24, 2007
Although pregnancy has often been concerned a time of emotional well-being, several recent studies have indicated that women are vulnerable to depression during pregnancy. Analyzing data from the Kaiser Permanente Northwest HMO, researchers assessed the prevalence of depression before, during, and after pregnancy in a group of 4,398 women with pregnancies ending in a [...]

Cognitive Therapy versus Medication in the Treatment of Depression
Posted on November 26, 2007
Both antidepressant medications and cognitive therapy have been shown to be effective for the treatment of depression; however, the question remains as to whether one treatment is preferred over the other. Subjects enrolled in The Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study (men and women with major depression, ages 18-75) were initially treated [...]

Can Estrogen Be Used to Treat Posptartum Depression?
Posted on November 6, 2007
After delivery, women experience a dramatic drop in estrogen hormone levels. Many have hypothesized that this decline in estrogen levels may precipitate postpartum depression (PPD) in susceptible individuals, and several studies have explored the use of estrogen for the treatment of depression after delivery.
In a double blind, placebo-controlled study including 61 women with PPD, [...]

Support the MOTHERS Act by Calling Your Senator
Posted on October 24, 2007
BlogHer, Postpartum Support International (PSI), and Postpartum Progress are joining forces and asking that you take action to help the MOTHERS Act advance to the Senate floor with the support of as many Senators as possible.
What is the MOTHERS Act?
The Moms Opportunity to Access Help, Education, Research and Support for Postpartum Depression Act, or [...]

Can Women Suffer from Postpartum Depression After Miscarriage?
Posted on October 19, 2006
After the birth of a child, it is common for women to experience some type of mood disturbance. Typically, it is relatively mild (postpartum blues). However, about 10-15% of women experience a more severe and disabling illness, postpartum depression. It has been suggested that women who develop postpartum depression may be more sensitive to the [...]

Lamotrigine and Breastfeeding
Posted on November 18, 2005
Because rates of postpartum illness are very high in women with bipolar disorder, it is generally recommended that mothers continue treatment with a mood stabilizer throughout the postpartum period to reduce their risk of relapse; however, the use of medications during the postpartum period is complicated by the issue of breastfeeding. All medications are secreted [...]

Postpartum Depression: Who is at Risk?
Posted on June 20, 2005
Many women imagine new motherhood as a time of total fulfillment, days filled with mother-infant bonding and boundless joy. In reality, however, many women experience significant mood changes following childbirth. Between 50 and 85% of new mothers experience a brief postpartum period of tearfulness and anxiety, termed the “maternity blues.” But some 10 to 15% [...]

Paroxetine and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for the Treatment of Postpartum Depression
Posted on September 20, 2004
Postpartum depression (PPD) is relatively common, occurring in about 10 to 15% of women after delivery. Non-pharmacologic interventions, including interpersonal psychotherapy, have been shown to be effective for the treatment of PPD. In addition, several reports have documented the efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor venlafaxine (Effexor). In [...]

Prevention of Postpartum Depression
Posted on July 20, 2004
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a relatively common problem, affecting between 10% and 15% of women after delivery. Although it is difficult to reliably predict which women in the general population will experience postpartum mood disturbance, it is possible to identify certain subgroups of women who are more vulnerable to postpartum affective illness. Women who have [...]


