postpartum anxiety - MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

Netmums: An Internet-Based Intervention for Women with Postpartum Depression

While postpartum depression (PPD) affects about 10%-15% of women, most women with PPD do not receive any treatment. Over the last decade, we have made progress in increasing awareness of postpartum mental health issues; however, there are still significant obstacles to obtaining treatment. Women are not able to find appropriate treaters or cannot access care in a timely fashion, especially in more remote areas. They may not have reliable childcare and thus cannot attend their own appointments. Or they may simply be too depressed or anxious to leave their homes.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-07-09T11:56:58-04:00May 28th, 2014|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Psychotherapy, Treatment|Comments Off

A New Questionnaire for Diagnosing Perinatal Anxiety Disorders

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-07-16T15:18:43-04:00April 9th, 2014|Anxiety Disorders, Diagnosis & Screening, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Pregnancy Loss Increases the Risk of Postpartum Psychiatric Illness

Pregnancy loss may cause great psychological stress for women. How such a loss, whether or not the woman identifies it as a stressor, affects her emotional well-being after the birth of a future child is unknown. In order to better understand the relationship between pregnancy loss and risk for postpartum psychiatric illness, researchers assessed 192 women at their first-year pediatric well-child care visits in an urban pediatric clinic. In this group of low income mothers, 49% of the women reported a previous pregnancy loss (miscarriage, stillbirth, or induced abortion).

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-05T14:50:05-04:00September 23rd, 2013|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Pregnancy Loss, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off

Using the EPDS to Screen for Anxiety Disorders: Conceptual and Methodological Considerations

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was designed to screen women for postnatal depression. Cox and Holden (2003) state that the EPDS was not designed to measure anxiety. However, recent emphasis on the importance of recognizing symptoms of perinatal anxiety disorders, coupled with findings in research, have led to the suggestion that the EPDS may be used as a multidimensional tool to screen for anxiety disorders in addition to depression during the perinatal period (Matthey et al, 2012).

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2016-11-04T14:35:42-04:00March 11th, 2013|Anxiety Disorders, Diagnosis & Screening, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Brief Scales for Identifying Postpartum Depression and Anxiety

While most agree that there is a need for improved detection of anxiety and mood disorders in pregnant and postpartum women, there remain questions regarding the best instruments to use for screening. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (a questionnaire consisting of 10 items) has long been used to screen women for postpartum depression (PPD); however, it is unclear how well these questions could be incorporated into larger surveillance programs, such as the CDC-sponsored Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) which was designed to assess health behaviors and to screen for health problems, including depression and anxiety, in pregnant and postpartum women.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-06T13:54:12-04:00December 13th, 2012|Anxiety Disorders, Depressive Disorders, Diagnosis & Screening, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Breastfeeding and Postpartum Depression: What’s the Connection?

In our clinic, we often see women who come in for the treatment of depression and/or anxiety after the cessation of breastfeeding. Many question if breastfeeding may protect against postpartum depression and if the cessation of breastfeeding is a trigger for postpartum depression and/or anxiety. However, the research examining the association between postpartum depression and breastfeeding has been somewhat difficult to interpret.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2018-07-11T10:29:07-04:00December 10th, 2012|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off

CBT for the Prevention of Postpartum OCD

Given the prevalence of postpartum OCD and obsessive symptoms in women with postpartum depression, we should devote more time to this topic. This is an informative and well-written article by Alice Wolton on postpartum OCD in Forbes. In this piece, she mentions a recent study from Timpano and colleagues at the University of Miami where cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was used to prevent postpartum OCD.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T14:52:07-04:00June 5th, 2012|Anxiety Disorders, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevention, Psychotherapy|Comments Off