A report from 2008 quotes one of the participants, saying,
“OB doctors/nurses should tell women that they may become depressed after they give birth. Then they should tell them what to do if this should happen.”
Hawaii DoH–PPD Facts Sheet (2008) **see updated publication below.
We couldn’t agree more!
Sadly, the result showing the highest shared characteristic of the women participating in the study percentage was for intimate partner violence during pregnancy, at 37.8%. More than a third of all pregnant women were hit, beaten, pushed, slapped. This is shocking. The American Psychiatric Association says that 25% of women have been physically assaulted or raped by their partners, during their lifetimes. So 13% more, during the short nine months of pregnancy? Another big surprise is that 26.8% said they had used illicit drugs during their pregnancy, 24.5% had smoked during their last trimester. More use of drugs than smoking?
At any rate, there’s the information for Hawaii, including that ~3000 new mothers a year likely experience a Perinatal Mood/Anxiety Disorder (aka PPD) here.
Are you surprised too? Share your thoughts.
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11/12/10
No sooner did I post this (well, plus about 24 hours) than I see an StarAdvertiser article posted by Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, on their Facebook Page with a new publication regarding Hawaii’s mothers and their birth circumstance statistics. Turns out that 37% thing with domestic violence is a waaaaaay different figure. In this publication, covering some of the same years as the above linked one, the rate is a lowly 6% overall, and about 14% for the mothers < age 20.
Here is the publication. Maybe one of you can explain the differences in stats between the two. Or I could email them and ask about it. I’ll share if I do.
I’ve been an active member of various PPD bulletin boards/discussion forums since 2001. I’ve seen a lot, as you might imagine. Last night someone posted something that I have been chewing on since. There have been times when the things women have posted have been on my mind overnight. But not like this. What did she say? –in a “room” full of women in the difficult throes of early PPD treatment, mind you, where guilt and feeling like the worst mother around reigns, she said:
Exercise by itself has been proven to prevent 75% of PPD. Vitamin D has proven more efficient than any antidepressant – without the side effects of premature delivery, preeclampsia, or having a child with obesity..
Oh, yes, she did. She has no clue that most everyone there will have tried a gazillion things to get over “this” before they showed up on a PPD board. A gazillion things that didn’t work.
Not only did she not provide any research links backing her statements (oh…because there aren’t any), her whole tone came across as “you could have prevented this if only you had exercised or taken Vitamin D.” And, miracle of miracles, Vitamin D (taken by mom) will prevent childhood obesity. Wow!! Really?
In all fairness, it’s been rare that this kind of post has shown up. But, rare or not, it’s a bit like throwing a skunk into the middle of a dog show. Dog show? Yeah, other four-legged creatures. But only one of the creatures in the crowd stinks. In real life though? People offer this kind of “advice”…regularly.
To find out more regarding PPD and its treatment just click on About PPD up top.
Phew! Got that off my chest. If you haven’t had the pleasure of the PPD experience directly yourself, it’s best to keep your comments to yourself. But if you’re a PPD survivor, please share! What kind of comments have you heard?
…but that is something most moms mention when they call me or the Postpartum Support International Warm-line (1-800-944-4773).
“I think I may have postpartum depression, but I don’t want to hurt my baby.”
Okay. No worries. You absolutely can have postpartum (or during pregnancy) depression or anxiety without having thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby.
Somehow, in getting the message out about the existence of “PPD” or perinatal mood/anxiety disorders out, the waters have been muddied by the few high profile cases that usually involve postpartum psychosis. Or by bad portrayals of “PPD” on popular television shows, where a mother is shown as dangerous and unpredictable (possibly psychotic) yet labeled as having “postpartum depression.” Well, who in their right mind wants to be identified as being like …that!!? [9/12/10 "that!!?" meaning the tv version, well over the top, and generally inaccurate.]
There are many symptoms of antenatal and postpartum mood and anxiety disorders. You can have a couple of symptoms, or a bunch of them, and they don’t have to include thoughts of harm coming to your loved one. Check our “About PPD” tab for more information.
Where do you think this idea comes from?
Did you or do you have postpartum depression? You may be interested in learning more about it at this upcoming awareness seminar. As someone who had this but didn’t know what it was exactly until 5 years later, it’s even helpful to learn about it after the fact. Make sense of your past experience, or, come and find out what you can do before you have a next baby to prepare yourself. Bring your family members, tell your medical professionals.
Speaking will be Dr. Tricia Wright (OB), Dr. Rosemary Adam-Terem (PhD), Leinaala Kanana (LBSW) and myself Diane Ashton (MSW), along with some parents who have experienced some form of “perinatal” mood disorder.
Perinatal Mood Disorders
(aka Postpartum Depression)
—Awareness & Treatment
By Professionals, and Parents w/ Personal Experience
8:45am-1:30pm
Although it is frequently called Postpartum Depression, or PPD for short, many mothers feel more anxiety than sadness or depression. They can’t fall asleep when baby sleeps, even when they are tired. They worry throughout the day (and night) about all the things that could possibly happen to this tiny human being entrusted in their care. They may feel like bad moms. I know these things from experience.
There wasn’t anything here in Hawaii to support me or educate me about “PPD” and I was completely unaware of its existance. This is what prompted forming PPD Support HI–supporting, educating, and bringing awareness to moms, parents, and professionals in Hawaii. –since 2004.
