Postpartum Depression Overwhelms New Moms

Postpartum depression interferes with a new mother’s ability to care for her baby. Despite the joy that accompanies their child’s birth, 10% to 15% of new moms feel overwhelmed by the stress and responsibility of caring for their child. They may experience negative emotions and anxiety, have trouble sleeping or lose their appetite. Depression can result with negative repercussions for the mother and her newborn.

Postpartum depression affects the entire family. Poor understanding of the condition by the woman’s spouse and family members can add to the stress, straining the marital relationship and in some instances leading to divorce. A $423,500 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health will fund a new study into the causes and a potential new treatment for postpartum depression by scientists at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, according to information posted on the Science Blog.

Working with researchers at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, Kinsey scientists hope their research will lead to better understanding of postpartum depression and possibly development of a preventive treatment for new mothers. The study will compare three groups: new mothers with postpartum depression, new mothers with no depression, and women who have never given birth. MRI technology will be used to study brain activity in the prefrontal-limbic system that scientists believe controls maternal behavior. New mothers show heightened activity in this area of the brain when responding to their infants. Depressed women who have not recently given birth also show greater brain activity in the prefrontal limbic system.

Researchers wonder if stress might be a trigger for postpartum depression. After giving birth, new mothers appear to be less sensitive to stress from the outside world. Concentration on their newborn seems to make them less responsive to negative pressures. The hormone oxytocin, which occurs at high levels in new moms, may play a role in this ability to screen out stress. It is stress that appears to trigger prefrontal-limbic brain activity in depressed women who have not recently given birth. While researchers expect to find a brain link between maternal behavior and depression, they don’t know whether the link will include postpartum depression.

June Bride, July Blues

There’s something about June and brides. Surpassed only by Valentine’s Day as America’s most popular wedding date, thousands of brides choose to be married in June. For the typical year it takes to plan a modern American wedding, these women, and often their mothers (and to a slightly lesser extent their intended and both families), immerse themselves in the myriad details necessary to plan the perfect wedding.

Of course, weddings are exciting; and today’s typical wedding includes scores of intricate details and “crucial” decisions. It’s easy to get so caught up in the details of planning the wedding that brides and grooms forget to focus on the importance of the life change they are making. Though it often becomes an all-consuming event, in reality the wedding is just a small moment in a marriage. Moving from the autonomy of being single to the shared decision-making and compromise necessary to build a successful marriage is a major life change. Unfortunately, the cultural pressure to create the perfect wedding often overshadows the true meaning and challenges of this life-changing event.

Some women become so immersed in the bride role that the return to normalcy is such a let-down that it triggers a type of depression called “wedding withdrawal” or “post-wedding blues.” Once the big day is over and the honeymoon ended, the humdrum reality of newlywed life sets in. In a short week, brides go from being the center of attention with a full planning calendar and social agenda to the ho-hum daily reality of fixing meals, going back to work, and adjusting to married life. From sharing the bathroom to pooling money and making decisions together, marriage is filled with new challenges. Many newlyweds, however, find the role of wife less glamorous and exciting than the role of bride and depression can set in.

If you find yourself feeling sad after the wedding is over, talk to your spouse. Talk about the reasons you chose to get married, your commitment to each other, and your love for each other. Seek help from a psychiatrist skilled in cognitive-behavioral therapy if your depression lasts. As you plan your wedding, work to keep the event in its greater perspective. Your wedding day is just the first step in a lifelong celebration of your life together with your new spouse.

Depression Twice as Likely to Strike Women

Women are twice as likely as men to suffer major depression, according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Analyzing the most recent research on women’s mental health issues, the report, Action Steps for Improving Women’s Mental Health, examines the role gender plans in treating and coping with mental illness issues such as depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorder brought on by trauma and violence.

Analysis discovered that not only are women twice as likely as men to suffer depression, but women suffer anxiety disorders at a rate two to three times greater than men. Women are also at far greater risk than men for post traumatic stress disorder, a discovery that could significantly impact the treatment of female war veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. In fact, the study found that any history of violence, trauma or abuse increased a woman’s risk of developing depression, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and panic disorders. It also increased the tendency to engage in risky behaviors.

In a press release, Acting Surgeon General Dr. Steven Galson said, “Mental illness is often incorrectly perceived as a weakness, which prevents women from recognizing the signs and symptoms and seeking treatment. In order to reduce stigma, we need to encourage open, honest conversations.”

Depression, anxiety, panic disorders, and post traumatic stress disorder are treatable conditions. In a key finding, the federal report found that family and interpersonal relationships in a woman’s life not only play a significant role in a woman’s ability to cope with and recover from mental illness, but that strong, positive relationships offer women some modicum of protection from mental illness.

In an effort to encourage dialog about women’s mental health issues and address stigmatizing misconceptions about mental illness, the U.S. Office of Women’s Health (OWH) has produced a free, downloadable booklet to educate women about steps they can take to improve their health and reduce their risk for many diseases, including depression, anxiety, panic disorders, and post traumatic stress disorder. Click here to download the free OWH consumer booklet Women’s Mental Health: What It Means to You.

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