May is Mental Health Awareness Month and we are continuing our theme of providing education and resources for anyone who is impacted. Which is a lot of us considering recent data suggests that over 50% of Americans will experience mental health problems at some point in their lifetime. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Youth depression rates have doubled since 2012. And mental illness affects people of any age, race, sex, religion, or income.
May marks Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month and a time to focus on the importance of mental health during pregnancy and shortly after birth. You are likely aware that 80% of new mothers report the “baby blues,” or intermittent periods of tearfulness, worry, irritability and fatigue. However, a lesser known statistic is that over 20% of new mothers meet criteria for a pregnancy or postpartum mood disorder.
The current COVID-19 pandemic is further complicating the experience of motherhood. Many mothers have had to grieve the loss of celebrations like baby showers that help with the transition and preparation of parenthood. Birth partners and supports have had limited access to prenatal appointments and, in some extreme cases, to the delivery rooms because of COVID-19 safety concerns. Further, new mothers have had to rely on fewer options for instrumental support after the arrival of their baby due to social distancing guidelines and overall fear of the virus. All of these losses have experts in maternal mental health concerned about the emotional well-being of the current cohort of expecting and new mothers.
With one in five mothers meeting criteria for a mental health disorder during or after pregnancy, this means that statistically most of us have had a friend, a sister, a mother, or co-worker who have suffered. However, the research reports that the barriers to talking about these issues (embarrassment, shame, guilt) get in the way. Additionally, many report that they were unaware of the different ways that maternal mental health problems can present.
Throughout pregnancy and postpartum many women hear messages from well-meaning friends, family, and strangers regarding how they “should” look and feel. A pregnant woman “should” glow with happiness, “should” feel joy and excitement, and “should” begin nesting and developing maternal feelings and bonds towards her unborn and newborn child. For many women, their pregnancy and the postpartum period looks and feels very different. In fact, approximately 11-20% of all women experience an onset of Depression following the birth of their child. This statistic does not take into account the many women who experience depression after the loss of a child (miscarriage or stillborn) or the significant number of women who likely do not report depressive symptoms due to shame or fear that they will be considered an unsafe or unfit parent. In recent years, several celebrities and women in positions of influence have come forward to disclose their own personal struggles with Postpartum Depression and have begun to lift the veil of shame on this disorder. Even with increased awareness in the community and the health care field, and effective therapy to treat Depression, only 15% of women who experience postpartum depression seek and receive help in the form of therapy or psychiatric care. Continue reading