We often see women with postpartum depression (PPD) who are also experiencing problems with breastfeeding. Several different questions arise. Are these women depressed because they are having problems with breastfeeding? Or does their depression and/or [...]
The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is the instrument most commonly used to identify depression in postpartum women. Traditionally, a cut-off score of 13 is used to distinguish depressed from nondepressed women. Because depression [...]
You get pregnant. You have a baby. You want to do whatever you can to care for your baby should anything happen to you. So you apply for life insurance. All of this makes total [...]
Various studies have demonstrated that women with histories of either bipolar disorder or postpartum psychosis are at high risk for postpartum relapse. While we recognize the risk as being “high”, estimations of the risk for [...]
For those of you in the Boston area, the Massachusetts PPD Commission is offering a free screening of the documentary "Dark Side of the Full Moon" at the State House Room 428 on the 4th [...]
Fetal programming is a term used to describe what happens when the fetus is exposed to changes in the intrauterine environment during pregnancy which have long lasting effects on the fetus which alter the physical [...]
Women with bipolar disorder are at significant risk for recurrent illness during the postpartum period. After miscarriage, an event which is associated with both hormonal changes and psychological complexity, is the risk for recurrent illness [...]
![By Vera Kratochvil [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://womensmentalhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Mother_Kissing_Baby-320x202.jpg)
Yesterday the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released a final recommendation statement on Screening for Depression in Adults. The Task Force recommends that clinicians screen ALL ADULTS for depression and notes that the evidence [...]
Infertility and its treatment are enormously stressful. Previous studies have shown that women undergoing infertility treatment are more vulnerable to clinically significant anxiety and depressive symptoms. But what happens when the desired outcome is achieved? [...]
Few studies have examined the impact of past and recent abuse on breastfeeding behaviors. A recent study indicates that exposure to emotional, sexual or physical abuse (past or recent) is associated with earlier cessation of [...]
