Research Study: Perfectionists At Risk for Postpartum Depression

New mothers who think they should be perfect parents might be at risk for postpartum depression, a new study suggests.

The results show that a type of perfectionism in which individuals feel others expect them to be perfect, known as "socially prescribed perfectionism," is associated with postpartum depression for first-time mothers.

Read More at LiveScience.com

Research study: The brain science of PPD

The neurobiological mechanisms to explain postpartum blues and the high risk for the onset of postpartum depression in the first few weeks after delivery are unclear. Estrogen levels drop 100- to 1000-fold during the first 3 to 4 days postpartum, and changes in estrogen levels have an inverse relationship with monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) density. However, MAO-A levels have never been measured in the early postpartum period... Rather than a purely psychosocial model, we propose a neurobiological model of estrogen decline, followed by elevated MAO-A binding,low mood, and subsequently a period of high risk for major depressive episodes. Our model has important implications for preventing postpartum depression and for developing therapeutic strategiesthat target or compensate for elevated MAO-A levels during postpartum blues.

Read More at Archives of General Psychiatry

Pilot Study: Antenatal Cognitive-behavioral Therapy

Women with PPD complain of depressive mood, insomnia, frequent crying, lack of appetite and motivation, fatigue, and multiple somatic symptoms, inability to cope, low self-esteem, and suicidal ideation. We recruited 927 pregnant women in 6 obstetric and gynecology clinics and screened them using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Our pilot study has provided preliminary empirical evidence that antenatal CBT intervention can be an effective preventive treatment for PPD. Further study in this direction was suggested.

Read more at PubMed Central

In the News: Prenatal and Postpartum Depression in Fathers

It is well established that maternal prenatal and postpartum depression is prevalent and has negative personal,family, and child developmental outcomes. Paternal depression during this period may have similar characteristics, but data are based on an emerging and currently inconsistent literature.

Read more at JAMA.com (subscription required)

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Read a Summary at Medscape.com

New items added to Professional Library

New documents and links were added to the professional library. The new additions are summarize below.

Documents

• Algorithm for women and depression postpartum - a PDF showing a detailed algorithm for the treatment of women experiencing PPD.
• Chronic PPD in low income mothers - Medscape document discussing the correlation of chronic PPD with low income mothers.
• PPD Manual - BC Health - a manual published by British Columbia health outlining the prevention and care for PPD.

Links

• Depression During Pregnancy: Treatment Recommendations  - The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) attempts to help doctors and patients weigh the risks and benefits of various treatment options.
• Reducing Maternal Depression and Its Impact on Young Children  - This 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
• Postpartum Depression in Women Receiving Public Assistance  - This study investigated whether a preventive intervention based on the principles of interpersonal psychotherapy administered to pregnant women would reduce the risk of postpartum major depression

Please email any suggestions to kevinadurr@gmail.com

In the News: When moms feel out of control

(CNN.com) About 10 percent of mothers experience postpartumdepression, severe emotional difficulties following the birth of a child, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Doctors do not know why some women have deep sadness and anxiety in the weeks or months following birth and others do not. They suspect a combination of environmental, genetic and biological factors contribute, but every woman is at risk, said Karen Kleiman, founder and director of the Postpartum Stress Center in Rosemont, Pennsylvania.

View Story at CNN.com

View video testimonials at CNN

Postpartum Depression Could Become Chronic Depression in Low-Income Mothers

(Vancouver, British Columbia) — Depression in "underserved" women of childbearing age is very common, with almost 20% of surveyed mothers of children 12 months or older continuing to experience moderate to severe symptoms of depression, according to the results of a study presented here at the Pediatric Academic Societies 2010 Annual Meeting.

Continue reading at Medscape.com