Postpartum Progress

Study Finds Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale Effective For Identifying Women At High Risk for PPD

The Journal of Women's Health reported this week the results of research comparing three screening instruments used to identify women with postpartum depression during the first 6 months after delivery -- the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS). The study, conducted by the University of Pittsburgh, concluded that administering the EPDS by phone at 6-8 weeks postpartum was an efficient and accurate way to identify women at high risk for PPD.  For more information, click the link above.

Postpartum Progress Speaks Out in Full Support of MOTHERS Act

I said I would speak out on the ridiculous campaign being waged through petitions and blogs right now to block passage of the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act ... so here goes (hold on to your hats, folks):

I am truly peeved and disappointed at the breathless, hysterical ranting going on about the MOTHERS Act.  Many of those who oppose it seem to have done LITTLE to NOTHING to inform themselves about the actual bill and the organizations that support it.  Falsehoods are being spread.  Here are some examples:

"A federal bill that is dangerous to mothers and their newborns but being promoted under the guise of ensuring that 'new mothers and their families are educated about postpartum depression, screened for symptoms, and provided with essential services ...'  This is quite simply false ... it will push more mothers onto dangerous antidepressant drugs ..."

"If this bill is passed, any money spent on screening will be a complete waste of tax dollars.  The results will be an INCREASE in the severity and frequency of postpartum depression and an increase in violence and suicide."

"This legislation will ensure that new mothers and their families are also subjected to such treatment as they are screened for symptoms and provided so called 'help' that pushes these new mothers over the edge."

"The bill was originally proposed in response to the death by suicide of Melanie Stokes, a pharmaceutical rep. who took her own life by leaping from a balcony several stories off of the ground. Contrary to popular understanding it was not post-partum depression that killed Melanie, but the numerous antidepressant drugs she was taking ..." 

I'm not sure what algorithm they're using that would indicate that doing more to identify and treat these illnesses would lead to more PPD -- is this the new math they're teaching in schools?  And I have no idea how in good conscience they could spread lies about Melanie Blocker Stokes when her fearless and amazing mother Carol has worked so hard to get legislation like this passed so that other mothers can avoid the pain she has had to endure in losing her daughter. 

Now I know standards dictate that I don't share with you what these people are saying because it somehow gives them a voice.  But I'm blowing up the standards today, because I think my readers need to know exactly what is being said, so that you can be moved to speak up about it and defend the importance of the MOTHERS Act.  (One of the organizations behind this push is CCHR.  CCHR is the Church of Scientology.  Need I say more?)

The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act does NOT recommend drugs or require drugs or endorse drugs.  What is does is the following:

• Encourage the Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate and continue research to expand the understanding of the causes of, and find treatments for, postpartum conditions. 
• Encourage a national public awareness campaign to be administered by HHS to increase awareness and knowledge of postpartum depression and psychosis.
• Encourage HHS to make grants available for projects for the establishment, operation and coordination of systems for the delivery of essential services to individuals with postpartum depression.

There is no nefarious undercurrent, no plot by "the man."  The simple point is to continue to look into the causes of postpartum mood disorders, to let people know they exist and to provide better support services for the women who have them and their families.   Period, the end.  Every woman has the choice to decline participation in a screening, and every woman has the choice to look at all of the various treatment options available to her and choose the best one for her, whether it includes medication, therapy, alternative treatments, support groups or some combination thereof. 

Do I agree that we must be careful to only treat those who are ill?  Of course.  Do I agree that we must be careful in the types of treatments that are used, and must recognize the risks of taking certain treatments as well as the risks of not taking them?  Of course.  But I will not allow fearful conspiracy theorists to derail what is most important, which is getting our country's healthcare system to eliminate the stigma of mental illness, recognize the prevalence of postpartum mood disorders, learn more about their cause, allow new mothers who are suffering to feel safe in getting professional help and identify the best and safest treatments possible.

Please add your thoughts.  Scroll to the bottom of this post and look for the comments link to speak out.  C'mon girls - USE YOUR VOICE.

Here are links to other great comments about the opposition and the importance of supporting the MOTHERS Act.  If I've missed your response, let me know and I'll add it to this list.

• Susan Stone, President of PSI - this is so beautifully written - you MUST read it
• Spin Me I Pulsate
• Buoy for Perinatal Blues & Beyond
• Postpartum Perspective
• Unexpected Blessing/Sharing the Journey
• Depression Introspection

Why Universal Screening for PPD is Necessary

I found an excellent article on Health Commentary calling for universal screening for PPD written by Amy Gagliardi, a writer and research based at Yale University.  Check out the whole piece, but here is a highlight:

Wilen and Mounts in their article, Women with Depression – “You Can’t Tell by Looking” suggest that when screening for depression in the health care setting is based on clinical observation alone, 50% of women suffering from depression are missed.  In a study of 888 pediatricians, Olson et al conclude that even during the postpartum period when pediatricians have frequent contact with mothers and babies, pediatricians rarely identify maternal depression through a routine inquiry about symptoms or through family history.  In fact, the most common identification method reported was the physician’s overall impression or the impression in combination with 1 or 2 questions about the mother’s symptoms. Only 4% of the physicians in this study reported using formal diagnostic criteria to identify maternal depression while none reported using a validated screening tool to identify maternal depression. 

Universal screening is a necessary prerequisite towards the identification and treatment of maternal depression and this is not a responsibility specific to any one discipline.  Whether we are discussing perinatal depression, which is depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period, or depression at any time throughout the life course, systematic and universal screening is the most effective way to identify depression.  Of interest is a study which utilized a 2 question screen of mothers during well child visits. One group of mothers received the screen on paper while the other group was screened by means of a scripted interview.  Although both methods were proven to require very little time, the paper screen was verified to be a more effective model.

AMA Newspaper Focuses on Barriers to Caring for PPD Moms

American Medical News, the newspaper of the American Medical Association has just published a great story on postpartum mood disorders called "Beyond the Baby Blues: A Spectrum of Postdelivery Conditions."  It features myself and a host of fabulous doctors, including Dr. Marlene Freeman, Dr. Shoshanna Bennett and Dr. Katherine Wisner among others.  It covers barriers to care by physicians, which is extremely important given that we're trying to get a bill passed in the Senate asking for more education and training of doctors, among other things.  Here is my favorite quote from the article:

"This is a disease that lives between specialties [obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatry, pediatrics]," Dr. Wisner added. "Patients are running around in circles."

Exactly.

National Center for Children in Poverty Releases New Policy Brief on Maternal Depression

Project THRIVE a the National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University has just released a new policy brief on maternal depression: Reducing Maternal Depression and Its Impact on Young Children: Toward a Responsive Early Childhood Policy Framework.  The policy brief provides an overview of why it is so important to address maternal depression as a central part of the effort to ensure that all young children enter school ready to succeed. It highlights:

• what research says about the impact of maternal depression on young children, particularly infants and toddlers, and how prevalent maternal depression is;
• examples of community and programmatic strategies to reduce maternal depression and prevent negative cognitive, social emotional and behavioral impacts on young children;
• key barriers to focusing more attention to maternal depression in policies to promote healthy early child development and school readiness;
• state efforts to address policy barriers and craft more appropriate policy responses; and
• recommendations

You can download the PDF and read the executive summary here.

Project THRIVE is a public policy analysis and education initiative at the National Center for Children in Poverty to promote healthy child development and to provide policy support to the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) initiatives funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

Part of NCCP’s longstanding commitment to promote improved state early childhood policies and practices, the goal of Project THRIVE is to help states strengthen and expand their early childhood systems, paying particular attention to strategies that improve services for those at highest risk and that help reduce disparities in access and quality of care to early childhood health and mental health.

Blue Cross of California Launches "Maternity Depression Program"

Blue Cross of California announced yesterday that it has launched a Maternity Depression Program that provides new moms depression screenings, education, and support to help them obtain behavioral health treatment during and post-pregnancy.  Details from the press release:

"The Maternity Depression Program is designed to provide information and screening tools to all Blue Cross members who are new mothers while simultaneously identifying members who are at high risk for depression. Since May 2007, Blue Cross has mailed more than 13,000 educational packets to new mothers.

Members who screen positive are encouraged to either share the results with their physician or contact a Behavioral Health Clinician for additional screening, referrals or coordination with providers. If a member needs extra support she can call to enroll in the program and the clinician will provide follow-up calls as necessary. Members can receive depression education, assistance in understanding their treatment options and support to obtain appropriate care. Behavioral Health staff can help to coordinate care with the member's medical team. Routine follow-up is also provided until such time that the member is fully engaged in treatment.

Additionally, because PPD is usually under detected and under treated, Blue Cross has delivered more than 10,000 provider tool kits to California OB/GYN practitioners and pediatricians. These "tool kits" include physician Continuing Medical Education course material, educational hand outs for their patients, and sample screening tools. "The tool kits were an enhancement to our Maternity Depression program developed after conducting several focus groups with pediatricians, OB/GYNs, primary care physicians and women who have infant children. The sessions clearly demonstrated the deep level of trust patients have with their pediatrician, OB/GYN and primary care physician," said Brian A. Sassi, president and general manager Blue Cross of California. "The most important thing to remember is that there is help for these new mothers."

"Through the Maternity Depression Program, Blue Cross provides new mothers, their family members and physicians with information and tools to identify mothers at risk for Postpartum Depression. The physician can then evaluate the mother to better understand her concerns and behavioral changes or if there are signs of significant depression," said Cheryl Noncarrow, president of Behavioral Health for Blue Cross of California. "Screening to identify issues and referring into treatment is a start in helping to restore normalcy for new moms."

Blue Cross members wishing to obtain more information can call (866) 785- 2789 and tell a representative that they may be experiencing postpartum emotional changes.

Menendez & Rush Say MOTHERS Act Legislation Nearly Complete

This week, the offices of Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Congressman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) announced they are finalizing the new federal postpartum depression legislation for its anticipated victory in the U.S. Congress.  The legislation, which was called the MOTHERS Act, has been slightly renamed as the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act.  This is in order to honor the mother whose name served as the title of the House bill that passed this fall.  Melanie was a beautiful and successful new mother who committed suicide in 2001 while suffering from postpartum depression. 

Many bloggers took part in a big legislative push this October by participating in Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act, hosted by BlogHer, Postpartum Support International and my blog Postpartum Progress.  I believe the action many of you took through your blogs and your phone calls to speak out about the need for more education and better treatment had a huge influence on legislators moving forward so quickly.  I hope we will continue to make our voices heard as we get closer to bill passage.  It is expected that the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act may be passed in early spring or possibly sooner once America's legislative bodies reconvene.  It appears that Democratic support is substantial, but some Republicans still need convincing.  Postpartum Support International president Susan Stone has been informed that she and others will be contacted when the timing is right for renewed advocacy supportive of the bill's passage.

As many of you know, the 2007-2008 BlogHers Act has been focused on harnessing the power of women online and their blogs to address maternal health.  This issue includes postpartum depression and related mood disorders, which can have a devastating effect on new mothers and their families.   

 

Study Suggests New Moms' Mental & Physical Health Be Monitored Past 6 Weeks, But Who Will Do It?

A new study in the November/December 2007 issue of the Annals of Family Medicine takes a much-needed look at the postpartum health of working mothers.  The study looked at moms who return to the workplace 11 weeks after childbirth and found that they continue to need evaluation of their fatigue levels and mental and physical symptoms beyond the normal 6-week postpartum checkup.

"At 11 weeks postpartum these employed mothers continued to experience several childbirth-related symptoms, indicating a need for ongoing rest and recovery. Postpartum evaluations should include screening for anxiety and depression and evaluation of fatigue and other physical symptoms, including those related to job stress."

The study recommended that women showing continued symptoms should receive counsel on strategies to decrease job stress and increase social support at work and home, and that physicians should talk with them about the possible need for intermittent leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act to help them manage symptoms.

One of the most fascinating comments was this, from Pat McGovern, PhD, MPH at the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and her colleagues who wrote the study:

"The traditional medical perspective of the postpartum period refers to the time after childbirth that is required for the reproductive organs to return to their nonpregnant state, a process that takes approximately 6 weeks. Many physicians perceive this time as one requiring little assistance other than the recommended single postpartum visit ..."

All new mothers know this is true but I don't think I've ever seen it stated so plainly.  Our healthcare professionals are essentially focused on making sure our uteruses (or is it "uteri"?) are in working order ... but the rest of us?  Not so much. 

Dr. Laurie Barclay writes on Medscape.com:

"Because of the increased prevalence in the workplace of mothers with infants, greater understanding of factors that could improve postpartum health and facilitate return to work is greatly needed. Recovery from childbirth and successful return to work may be affected by personal factors such as preexisting health status, parity, breast-feeding, and social support from family and friends; as well as work-related factors including the timing of return to work, job stress, and support in the workplace."

Honestly, I think the results of this study apply equally to women who don't go back to work.  All new mothers suffer a compounding list of stresses that make it difficult to cope with daily responsibilities, and there is no specific group of healthcare professionals who has taken on the task of monitoring our whole health.   

Which group of clinicians will make sure women are properly evaluated and counseled?  The study specifically cites the need for screening new moms for anxiety and depression, but who will do it?  At the moment, no group of doctors taken on the job of providing that safety net.  I sometimes wonder whether they're all hoping someone else will step up to the plate so they can be relieved of the duty.  Sure, there are pockets of doctors and nurses in different places throughout the country who have recognized the importance of paying more attention to the health of new moms over a more extended period of time, but as a general rule many ignore it, and I wonder if some of the larger physicians' groups aren't actually against it.

The OB/GYNs are concerned with taking responsibility for the process of pregnancy and childbirth.  The pediatricians are primarily focused on the health of the baby.  Your primary care physician may not see you for months unless you come down with the flu, so they may never know if you're having problems.  They all say they don't have time, they don't have the proper training, they aren't reimbursed for it, they worry about the legal ramifications, etc.  And they're right on all those points.  Yet mental health screenings and treatment remain completely necessary if we care about having healthy mothers in this country. 

New moms are just not very likely to wander by the office of a mental health professional and drop in to say hello.  These people are specialists, for whom you generally need a referral.  We need a comprehensive nationwide process to get mothers mental healthcare if they need it, where the doctors responsible for screening and referral have buy-in and there is a clear line of sight.  Somebody is going to HAVE to take responsibility for this, so we need to work together to begin developing workable solutions.  Hopefully the MOTHERS Act will help to address this when it is passed, and it becomes federal law that all women are screened for postpartum depression and anxiety.  Notice I sad when, not if.

(crossposted at BlogHer.com)

Participants Needed for Online Survey On New Postpartum Distress Scale

Karen Kleiman has sent out the following information on research she is conducting into a new postpartum distress scale.  She needs participants who have babies up to 12 months old to complete a survey (Bummer - I can't participate!).  If you meet this criteria, I hope you'll take the survey.  The link to it is below:

As many of you know, I have been collaborating with a research team at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine who have expertise in postpartum distress and scale design. We have performed an initial statistical analysis on a new postpartum distress scale.

At this stage, we would like to re-test our proposed scale items, along with established measures, such as the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS).

We need approximately 100 postpartum women (with babies up to 12-months old) to complete this phase of the study. I am hoping that you will post a link to the questionnaire, which is offered online, for your members or your clients, to help us further validate this measure.

The survey will probably only be up for a month or so.

Click here to participate.

British Columbia Screens Women for PPD Both During & After Pregnancy

Click here for a link to an article in the Toronto Sun about antenatal depression, or depression during pregnancy.  One highlight:

"Recognizing the need to find and help this sub-population, Misri, in partnership with B.C.'s ministry of h ealth, has implemented a screening initiative using a respected self-reporting depression scale.

In British Columbia, pregnant women will receive the screening tool when they are about 28 weeks pregnant, and six to eight weeks postpartum."

Registration Opens for NYU Reproductive Psychiatry Conference

The 6th annual NYU Reproductive Psychiatry Conference will be held on Saturday, October 6th, from 8am to 4pm in the Farkas Auditorium of Alumni Hall at the NYU School of Medicine.  The conference will provide information on the latest in research, premenstrual mood disorders, perimenopausal mood disorders, perinatal depression and bipolar disorder and the latest in prenatal diagnostic testing.  It is being sponsored jointly by NYU and the North American Society of Psychosocial Obstetrics & Gynecology, and in cooperation with Postpartum Support International. The target audience is psychiatrists, ob/gyns, pediatricians and other health professionals who care for women.  CMEs are available.  For more information, and to register, go to www.med.nyu.edu/cme.

P.S.  This just in!  Dr. Shari Lusskin tells me that Dr. Manny Alvarez of FOX News will be the keynote speaker. 

Gov. Blagojevich Needs to Sign PPD Legislation in Illinois

Here's a link to a story about Mary Howorth, who was instrumental in getting legislation passed in Illinois calling for screening of women for postpartum mood disorders.  The legislation is awaiting signature from the governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich.  Here's hoping the governor gets with it, and soon!  The women of Illinois need him to put pen to paper!

War Wives At Greater Risk for PPD

Staff writer Denise Gellene of the Los Angeles Times reports on research finding that women married to deployed soldiers are at a much higher risk for experiencing postpartum depression:

"Women with spouses on military deployment during their pregnancies face a nearly threefold higher risk for postpartum depression in initial screening tests, researchers reported this week.

The findings mean that military wives should be informed of the risk and aggressively screened for depression during their postpartum medical exams, said lead author Dr. Jeffrey Millegan of the Naval Medical Center in San Diego ...

The study, presented Monday at a American Psychiatric Assn. meeting in San Diego, looked at 415 women who received preliminary screening tests for the condition approximately six weeks after their children were born.

One-quarter of the 90 women whose husbands were deployed at any point during their pregnancy screened positive, according to the study, compared with 11% of the women whose husbands were not deployed.

Researchers found that women whose husbands were deployed during their pregnancies had 2.7 times the risk of screening positive.

The women who screened positive were referred for further mental health services. The study did not follow those women to learn whether they were ultimately diagnosed with postpartum depression.

Still, Dr. Vivien Burt, director of the Women's Life Center at the UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital, said the results underscored the need for action because previous studies had shown that a mother's depression could leave lasting scars."

New Study Says Docs Not Probing for Signs of PPD

From WRAL.com in North Carolina:

"A new study suggests a majority of doctors are not probing new mothers for signs of postpartum depression.

Of the 228 physicians responding to the survey who said they had seen women for postpartum visits in the previous three months, 79 percent said they were unlikely to formally screen the patients for depression ...

'We believe that it is very important that physicians work some type of depression screening into postpartum visits,' said Betsy Sleath, lead author of the study and a professor in UNC's School of Pharmacy. 'Perhaps even more important, women shouldn't be afraid or embarrassed to raise this issue with their doctor. We're expected by society to be happy when we have a child so sometimes it's hard to talk about the fact that women feel sad, or that it's hard being a new mother.'

Physicians and other health care professionals use a variety of tools such as a patient health questionnaire and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to determine a woman's risk of postpartum depression.

Dr. Bradley Gaynes, one of the study's co-authors and a psychiatrist with UNC Health Care, said checking for signs of depression can be as simple as asking a new mother two questions:

• Has your interest in your usual activities changed?
• Do you feel depressed or hopeless?

'We recognize that physicians must cope with many demands on their time,' Gaynes said. 'But depression is one of the most common postpartum complications, and a postpartum depression needs to be identified before it can be treated. We encourage clinicians to always check for signs of depression during postpartum visits. These questions represent the core symptoms of a major depressive disorder.'

An estimated 13 percent of new mothers are affected by postpartum depression. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will be published June 6 in the North Carolina Medical Journal."

Update on May 1 Congressional Hearing

Here's information from Congressman Bobby Rush's office:

The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will conduct a hearing entitled "H.R. 20-The Melanie Blocker Stokes Postpartum Depression Act", aimed at curbing postpartum depression, an illness that affects new mothers. With an estimated 400,000 new cases by the end of this year, postpartum depression is the single most frequent serious complication of pregnancy. Unfortunately, research and treatment for women of color remains disproportionately ignored.

Who:  Carol Blocker, founder of the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Foundation, Dr. Nada Stotland MD of the American Psychiatric Association; former New Jersey first lady Mary Jo Codey

What:  Subcommittee hearing on postpartum depression

When: Tuesday, May at noon

Where: 2123 Rayburn House Office Bldg.

Queens NY Hospitals Now Screen for PPD

Hooray for Queens, NY!  According to the Queens Tribune, Flushing and Jamaica Hospitals are now working to combat the stigma of postpartum depression and educate moms-to-be, according to Seeth Vivek, the Department of Psychiatry Chair at both hospitals. 

The Neonatal Units and psychiatric departments at Flushing Hospital and Jamaica Hospital have created a program where all mothers are screened for postpartum depression prior to discharge from their hospitals, and they also conduct a follow-up evaluation during the first prenatal checkup..

Postpartum Progress Beacon of Hope: Mary Jo Codey

Announcing the Postpartum Progress Beacon of Hope for March 2007 (drumroll please) ... Mary Jo Codey!!!!  If you haven't heard about the impact the former first lady of New Jersey has had on the issue of postpartum mood disorders, then you've missed a LOT!! 

Mary Jo Codey was first introduced to postpartum mood disorders 22 years ago after she experienced PPD with the birth of her son Kevin.  Prior to that, she had no idea that PPD even existed or that she might be at risk.  She also went through PPD again four years later with her second son, Christopher.  Even though she had all the signs of PPD, no one seemed to know what was wrong with her.  She checked herself into a mental institution for a month but found no help there.  Eventually she began to see a psychiatrist who did know about PPD and was able to help Mary Jo.  She began to experience scary, intrusive thoughts about hurting her son.  For months she worked with the psychiatrist tying different antidepressants, but the intrusive thoughts increased until she finally decided to "just end it all".  Fortunately, the psychiatrist had decided to try an MAO inhibitor as a last-ditch effort, and within a few weeks the intrusive thoughts began to decrease and finally disappear.  All in all, it took a year for Mary Jo to get better. 

She became angry, as so many of us do, that it took so long for her to get the help she needed, and that until then no one recognized the signs.  She realized that people needed to know and care about this disorder, and she didn't want anyone else to have to go through the self-blame and shame she experienced.  To that end, she became an advocate extraordinaire.  She has publicly shared her story with a wide variety of audiences, from health care and mental health professionals, to women's groups, PPD support groups, the general public and the media.  During her husband's tenure as governor, New Jersey created a comprehensive awareness campaign called "Recognizing Postpartum Depression: Speak Up When You're Down".  The campaign -- which made New Jersey the first state to commit resources to uninsured new mothers for PPD screenings and treatment -- features a 24/7 helpline and a bilingual website with valuable information and contacts for women and their families, as well as for medical professionals.  The campaign includes literature and radio and TV PSAs.  Mary Jo is very proud to be the spokesperson for that campaign, and was instrumental in its development.   

Of all the work she has done, she is most proud of New Jersey's Postpartum Depression Screening and Education law, which took effect in October 2006 and is an outgrowth of the efforts that began during her husband's administration.  Now every pregnant woman in New Jersey is educated about maternal mood disorders before giving birth; the mother of every baby born in the state will be screened for postpartum depression; and all licensed health care professionals who provide pre- and post-natal care will be educated about maternal depression.  There is a budget of $4.5 million for education and screening.

As for the future, most of all Mary Jo wishes for New Jersey's law to become national law.  The MOTHERs Act is actually based on the New Jersey law and is soon to be reintroduced in the Senate.  She says it's time for it to come out of committee and get passed!!

Her biggest concern is that too many women are slipping through the cracks and going untreated.  PPD is one of the most common complications of pregnancy, and progress is being made on raising awareness and increasing screening, she says.  But the latest study published by JAMA shows we need to do more.  There are lives at risk, she explains, and we owe it to women and their families to provide more education, screening, treatment and support.

Thank you, thank you Mary Jo Codey for your willingness to speak out, your courage, your honesty and most of all for your commitment to women like us!  You are definitely a Beacon of Hope!

The MOTHER's ACT Soon To Be Reintroduced in the Senate

Download onepageronmothersact1.doc

Susan Dowd Stone, president of Postpartum Support International, just gave me the heads up that Senator Menendez's office indicated the reintroduction of The MOTHER's Act will take place this week or next.  This would be a GREAT time for you to call your Senators and encourage endorsement/sponsorship of The MOTHER's Act. Susan provided me with a concise one-page description from Senator Menendez's office regarding the bill, which I've attached above.

New Bill Introduced in Maine for Postpartum Mental Health Education And Screening

It looks like there is also now a bill in the state of Maine to make PPD screenings mandatory at 6-weeks post birth and to require doctors to educate women on postpartum mood disorders during their pregnancy.  The bill (LD 792, An Act Concerning Postpartum Mental Health Education) is sponsored by state Senator Nancy Sullivan (D).  On Feb. 15 it was referred to the Maine Senate's Committee on Health and Human Services.  Ladies in Maine, contact your local representatives to get this passed!!

Telephone Screening A Reliable Method to Identify PPD

Here's an interesting tidbit:  Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, conducted a study on the reliability of telephone screening for identification of postpartum depression.  Eight weeks after discharge from the hospital, 106 women participating in the study were screened over the phone using the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS).  The results found that, as compared to in-person screening, telephone screening is a reliable method to screen for postpartum symptomatology that may occur later than the 6-week office visit.

Screening Bill Introduced in IL State Legislature

Postpartum psychosis survivor Mary Howorth has shared with me that she has been working with members of the Illinois state legislature to get a bill passed to require perinatal mood disorder screening.  The bill, called the Postpartum Mood Disorders Prevention Act, has finally been introduced by state Senator Don Harmon (D). (If you click on the link and then click on full text, you can read it in its entirety.)  It also has a new co-sponsor, Illinois Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins (D).  Let's hope it gets passed!  Residents of Illinois, please contact your local representatives!  Thank you, Mary.