A new research study published in the July edition of the American Journal of Public Health looks at the factors that detrimentally affect the general mental health of the mothers of young children.

Among women with children ages four months to three years (35 months), these three conditions are the biggest predictors of poor maternal mental health:

* Lack of emotional support - No one to rely on for day-to-day emotional help with parenting (3.4 times more likely to experience mental health problems)

* Lack of functional support in caring for children - Little or no help with child care when mothers need a break (2.2 times more likely to experience mental health problems)

* Spending too much time alone caring for their child (3.5 times more likely to experience mental health problems)

Mothers who reported having just one of the above parenting-related stressors had triple the risk of poor mental health, while women who had two or more of the above stressors increased a mental health risk x12.

The authors' conclusions: Improving family leave policies and making high quality childcare more 'affordable and accessible' could help ease the stresses on mothers. Once again proving the point...The personal is political!

Posted by Sarah M. at 12:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

A new study published in the International Breastfeeding Journal suggests that breastfeeding may help new mothers avoid or reduce the severity of depression.

This research worked from the premise that "new mothers experience an increase in inflammation due to high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines," and that "Common experiences associated with new motherhood, such as disturbed sleep and postpartum pain, can also act as stresses that cause pro-inflammatory levels to rise." (Wondering what a cytokine is? Me too. Click here for the basics.)

With new moms for whom breastfeeding is going well (and that's the clincher, isn't it??), the study found that "Breastfeeding can reduce women's stress levels, so that their inflammatory response systems remain inactive. This then reduces their risk of depression."

Here's the downside: When breastfeeding is difficult and or painful for the new mother, it can be more of a trigger for depression than a buffer. Study author Kathleen Kendall-Tackett's conclusion? "Mother's mental health is yet another reason to intervene quickly when breastfeeding difficulties arise."

Lactation consultants, postpartum doulas, and baby nurses/night nurses, who are often called in to help a family during early breastfeeding woes, really are on the front lines! They need to have a strong awareness of PPD and be able to make appropriate community referrals for moms who are struggling emotionally.

The study also cites exercise, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, cognitive therapy, St. John's Wort, and conventional antidepressant medications as treatments for depression that are anti-inflammatory.

Posted by Sarah M. at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (60) | TrackBacks (9)

U.K. research scientist Vivette Glover (Imperial College, London) addressed the Royal Society of Medicine's Conference on Reproductive Psychiatry this week, calling for more focus on the way maternal stress during pregnancy impacts the developing fetus.

Glover cited research suggesting that maternal stress during pregnancy may "predispose babies to emotional, behavioral, and cognitive problems in later life," stating, "We need to recognize stress early in prgnancy and we need to provide greater help for reach woman affected by it."

For more on Glover's findings and the latest research on fetal affects of maternal stress, click here.

Posted by Sarah M. at 02:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A new study published in the medical journal Pediatrics finds that maternal depression is "prevalent", affecting approximately 12 percent of mothers in their sample (which included over 200 families whose children are patients at a pediatric practice).

Their recommendation for pediatricians and pediatric nurses, who are on the front lines, as among the first health professionals with the opportunity to recognize and refer parents who are suffering: "A very brief screen can identify reasonably those who can benefit from additional evaluation and possible treatment," noting that being proactive in this effort will "benefit mothers, families, and children."

The simple, quick-to-implement screening tools used by pediatricians in this study? Including 2 questions about emotional/mental health on the standard new-patient questionnaire, and utilizing the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI).

Posted by Sarah M. at 04:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A new study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research was NOT able to confirm previous findings, which have suggested a relationship between depressive symptoms at the end of pregnancy and in the first 5 days after birth and the levels of estrogen and progesterone in a woman's body.

The study looked at the relationship between total levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone (which undergo massive flux during pregnancy and after giving birth), questioning whether the magnitude of change might be associated with the occurence and intensity of perinatal depression. They found no such connection. In this study, the hormone levels did not make women any more likely to experience PPD.

Possible limitation of this study is its small size, with a sample of just 89 women. Larger samples are going to give more authoritative results.

Based on previous studies, the current theory is that sudden, drastic drops in estrogen levels or hypogonadal levels play a part in causing PPD.

Posted by Sarah M. at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (64) | TrackBacks (0)

A new research report from the DC-based think-tank Child Trends looks at the most important characteristics in mothers associated with providing babies and young children a "strong start" developmentally.

Check out the free, downloadable PDF of this report:
Conceptualizing a 'Strong Start': Antecedents of Positive Child Outcomes at Birth & Into Early Childhood

We are a lot about the (significant) problems of low birthweight and prematurity these days, and how they affect children's longer-term outcomes. So you might be surprised to learn that the research suggests a far more complex interplay of multiple factors during pregnancy and after birth:

THE most important maternal characteristics for providing babies and children a "strong start":

* Mother's physical & mental health status
* Mother's health-related behaviors
* Mother's receipt of health-related services
* Absence of material hardship (financial, etc.)
* Marriage & social support
* Social & demographic factors
* Mother's attitude about the pregnancy

Posted by Sarah M. at 01:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

A new study published in the Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine & Biology found that high copper levels are associated with postpartum depression (PPD).

Here's a summary of the findings from Reuters:

"High copper levels tied to postpartum depression"

For the abstract of this study, click here.

Posted by Sarah M. at 07:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

More new news on the simultaneously glorious and pesky thyroid gland, from an Associated Press (AP) report:

"Debate grows over female thyroid testing and pregnancy"

Posted by Sarah M. at 07:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A systematic review published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology finds that both acupuncture and self-hypnosis are effective, non-drug pain management strategies for use during labor and birth.

The team looked at 14 trials involving over 1,500 women randomized into groups who used pharmacologic (drug) pain management, no treatment, a placebo treatment, and an alternative pain management strategy such as self-hypnosis or acupuncture.

They found that women receiving acupuncture are less likely to feel that they need/want drugs for pain relief during labor, including epidural, and may have a lowered need for oxytocin. They also found that hypnosis reduces the need/want for drugs including epidrual and improves maternal satisfaction with the birth experience. Acupuncture may also result in higher rates of vaginal birth and less use of oxytocin.

Interestingly enough, no statistically significant evidence was found of benefits from acupressure, aromatherapy, massage, relaxation, or audio-analgesia. However, those trials were few and quite small in scope - So we can't rule out benefits from these practices just yet!

Posted by Sarah M. at 07:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

A new study conducted with 1,200+ pregnant women in Denmark and published in the British Medical Journal finds that moderate amounts of caffeine intake during pregnancy do not appear to contribute to premature delivery or low-birthweight.

Previous studies on this topic have been inconclusive - Leading to mixed messages from healthcare providers and pregnancy books, and leaving thousands of expectant moms feeling guilty and conflicted about even the most modest coffee intake during pregnancy.

To read more about this study, click here.

To read the March of Dimes recommendations on caffeine intake during pregnancy, click here.

As always, more research and larger studies on this question are needed! But as March of Dimes suggests, weighing all the current evidence leads to the conclusion that controlled, moderate caffeine intake during pregnancy is likely safe.

Posted by Sarah M. at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBacks (1)

A new study out of the Centre for Addition and Mental Health in Canada finds that separated and divorced moms are disproportionately affected by depressive disorders and alcohol abuse than are married and single (never before married) mothers.

Read more about these findings in Science Daily.

Posted by Sarah M. at 09:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (14)

A new study published in the December 15, 2006 issue of the Maternal and Child Health Journal "Online First" found "significant differences for depressive symptomatology in new mohters by race/ethnicity and nativity."

The study's data came from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort Nine-Month Survey, a study of home and care experiences of a nationally-representative cohort of children from birth through first grade who were born in the U.S. in 2001. But the current study's analysis looked only at mothers with infants under age one who had participated in the home interview and had a valid CES-D (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale) score. They also looked at sub-samples of mothers who had "moderate" or "severe" depression.

Here's a summary of findings from the MCH Library at Georgetown University (bolding emphasis is mine):

* Among non-Hispanic whites, no significant difference was found in the prevalence of depressive symptoms by nativity.

* Minority mothers and foreign-born mothers were about twice as likely not to think they needed
help or not to talk to any health professional compared to non-Hispanic white mothers and U.S.-born mothers, respectively.

Reference:
Huang ZJ, Wong FY, Ronzio CR, et al. 2007. Depressive symptomatology and mental health help-seeking patterns of U.S.- and foreign-born mothers. Maternal and Child Health Journal Online First, published online December 15, 2006.

More information is available from the MCH Library's knowledge path, Postpartum Depression, at
http://www.mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_postpartum.html.

Posted by Sarah M. at 02:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

A new study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found little prenatal impact of antidepressant exposure on behaviors of four-year-old children.

A team of Canadian and Korean researchers studied four-year-olds who were exposed to antidepressant medications (specifically, SSRIs) during the prenatal period, and found no significant behavioral differences between the antidepressant-exposed preschoolers and the non-exposed preschoolers.

Equally important finding = What DID play a significant role in the behavior of these four-year-old children was the mother's current current statte of mental health and the level of parental stress.

This is a small study, and the child behaviors it looks at primarily include attentiveness, activity, and impulsiveness - But it yields yet another piece in the puzzle of our knowledge about 1.) Use of SSRI antidepressants during pregnancy, and 2.) The effects on children of parental mental health and parental stress.

Posted by Sarah M. at 03:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (23) | TrackBacks (14)

I've blogged on this research study before, but it bears repeating, as NIMH is consistently in need of participants! Blogger-advocate Katherine Stone of the fabulous Postpartum Progress has posted an updated call-for-participants:

"NIMH Looking for Women in Greater DC Area for Important PPD Research"

Posted by Sarah M. at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A new review-of-the-research report published in the December '06 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that the benefits of fatty acids (omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, found in fish oil) for treating depression relief remain unclear.

Their conclusion: The research done in this area isn't extensive enough to draw any certainties from. Larger studies are needed. And more of them.

Here's a summary of the findings from Reuters Health.

Posted by Sarah M. at 07:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A new article on the importance of thyroid testing for women during (and after) pregnancy.

The thyroid is a major player in the endocrine system. And thyroid function is linked to mood function (among many other things). So for women experiencing depression/anxiety during pregnancy or after giving birth, having the thyroid checked with a simple blood test is really important! Thyroid irregularities can be treated effectively... but first you have to know that the problem exists.

For more on this topic, click here and here.

Posted by Sarah M. at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (7)

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) at the National Institutes of Health(NIH) in Washington, DC is seeking public input on the direction of new research.

Here's the announcement from the Office of Constituency Relations at NIMH:

NIMH is seeking input from the clinical research community, mental health professionals, patient advocates and individuals living with mental illnesses, private and public mental health service systems and providers, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, and other interested groups about important public mental health research questions that could be addressed using the infrastructure provided by three NIMH clinical research networks - the Bipolar Trials Network (BTN), the Depression Trials Network (DTN), and the Schizophrenia Trials Network (STN). Click here.

Please consider submitting your ideas and/or sharing this announcement with your colleagues who may be interested.

Worth a read is a new message from the NIMH director, available on their website: "Mental Health Research: Into the Future."

Posted by Sarah M. at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

Published in the December 20 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience... new findings from an NIH-funded study conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) finds that over time, new experiences can actually re-wire the brain to develop better resiliency to stress.

This from the NIMH press office:

It's long been known that experiencing control over a stressor immunizes a rat from developing a depression-like syndrome when it later encounters stressors that it can't control. Now, scientists funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have unraveled the workings of the brain circuitry that inoculates against such hard knocks -- the circuitry of resilience.

Control not only activated the brain's executive hub, the prefrontal cortex, but also altered it so that it later activated even when the stressor was not controllable. This activation turned off mood-regulating cells in the brainstem's alarm center. The immunizing effect was so powerful that even a week later, when confronted with an uncontrollable stressor, the cells behaved as if the stressor was controllable and the rat was protected.

"Lack of control over stressful life experiences has been implicated in mood and anxiety disorders," noted NIMH Director Thomas Insel, M.D. "Understanding how the brain encodes the experience of control to protect against such adverse consequences should help us develop better treatments for these disorders."

Rats exposed to uncontrollable stress develop a syndrome similar to depression. and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in which they lose the ability to learn how to escape stressors and behave more fearfully.

"Perceived control, or coping, can buffer individuals against the negative emotional and physiological impact of stress," said [lead researcher] Maier. "Enhancing the cortex's control over brainstem and other stress-responsive structures appears to be critical for preventing and treating mood and anxiety disorders."

Posted by Sarah M. at 01:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Important new data, and good news that the mainstream media is sharing it with the broader public!

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has drawn a deluge of media attention this week, with coverage from Time Magazine, CNN, ABC News, CBS News, NBC News, MSNBC, and many others.

The study, which is based on data from over two million people in the Danish health and civil service registers, finds that first-time mothers are at an increased risk for a host of mental health disorders that include but also go far beyond postpartum depression - anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia - with the greatest risk during the first three months after childbirth.

They also found that first-time childbearing women had a risk of postpartum mental illness at a rate 7.3 times higher than for women who had given birth previously.

The study found postpartum depression affecting 10 to 15 percent of all mothers, but the team also notes that this data is an "underestimate," given the fact that approximately 40 to 50 percent of postpartum mental illness goes undiagnosed.

At least one previous study found that some new fathers also suffer from depression after a child is born, but the current JAMA study argues against any association between fatherhood and the onset of mental illness.

Also published in this edition of JAMA: a group-authored editorial, "Postpartum Depression: A Major Public Health Problem."

Posted by Sarah M. at 01:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Spread the word to corporate boards, CEOs, and HR folks:

A new research report funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) at the NIH finds that "Benefits to Employers Outweigh Enhanced Depression-Care Costs."

No big surprise to the advocates and professionals who work in this field, but it's always nice to have the hard data - from an authoritative source - to make the argument for less stigma, less denial, and more mental health care for working moms... and all other workers.

Here's an excerpt from the NIMH's press release on this study:

It may be in society's and employers' best interests to offer programs that actively seek out and treat depression in the workforce, suggests an analysis funded by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

A simulation based on dozens of studies revealed that providing a minimal level of enhanced care for employees' depression would result in a cumulative savings to employers of $2,898 per 1,000 workers over 5 years.

Even though the intervention would initially increase use of mental health services, it ultimately would save employers money by reducing absenteeism and employee turnover costs, according to Drs. Philip Wang and Ronald Kessler, of Harvard University, and colleagues, who report on their findings in the December 2006 Archives of General Psychiatry.

"Depression exacts economic costs totaling tens of billions of dollars annually in the United States, mostly from lost work productivity," noted Wang. "Yet we're not making the most of available services and treatments. Our study calculates what employers' return on their investment would be if they purchased enhanced depression treatment programs for their workers."

Savings from reduced absenteeism and employee turnover and other benefits of the intervention began to exceed the costs of the program by the second year, yielding a net savings of $4,633 per 1,000 workers.

Enhanced care had the most benefit in cases of higher-level employees who influenced the productivity of co-workers.

Posted by Sarah M. at 07:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (66)

Check out this new post from blogger-advocate Katherine Stone, of Postpartum Progress:

"Genetic test can predict impact of antidepressant side effects"

Posted by Sarah M. at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

An ongoing research study at the Center for Women's Mental Health at Massachusetts General Hospital: "Breastfeeding and the Use of Psychiatric Medications."

Here's a description:

This study evaluates the extent to which infants are exposed to psychiatric medications when mothers use these agents while breastfeeding. Breast milk and serum from mother and infant are collected at one point during the postpartum period to study the presence of psychiatric medications.

For more information, contact Viveka at (617) 724-6540 or vprakash (at) partners (dot) org.

Posted by Sarah M. at 02:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (13)

New research conducted by Carnegie Mellon University faculty suggests that happiness - i.e., positive emotions - plays an even more important role in determining our overall health than previously thought.

The study is published in th journal Psychosomatic Medicine and featured by the Science Daily news service.

Posted by Sarah M. at 03:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As if we needed a team of social scientists to to tell us... Most American mothers don't get enough sleep.

And moms who work full-time outside the home are suffering the most from sleep deprivation, with 59 percent of the full-time working mothers surveyed reporting insufficient sleep on a regular basis.

According to a Reuters report on the study, "The survey found 52 percent of America's mothers believed that getting more sleep would make them better parents and 65 percent said it would make them happier. But even when mothers do get into bed, many lie awake at night, with 36 percent obsessing about the next day's tasks, 25 percent stressing about the family's finances and 24 percent worrying about family issues."

Duh.

Posted by Sarah M. at 08:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

More data that confirms the negative effects of stress during pregnancy has been published in the September-October 2006 edition of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

This study found that women experiencing significant stress have smaller fetuses at mid-pregnancy than other mothers who are not distressed. The lead researcher on this team, Dr. Miguel Diego at the Universiof Miami School of Medicine, attributes the difference to the hormone cortisol, which is released by the adrenal gland in times of stress.

And Dr. Diego is quoted by a Reuters reporter with this recommendation: "Women who have clinical depression or diagnosed anxiety disorder, or are under some extreme level of stress, should be looking for some sort of medical treatment."

Prior to this study, none have looked at how stress during pregnancy affects the fetus before birth - although a number of studies have found a statistically significant link between maternal distress and premature delivery, as well as low birthweight.

Posted by Sarah M. at 02:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A small pilot study published in the August '06 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that something as simple as 6 sessions of telephone counseling can ease women's symptoms of depression after a miscarriage.

In this study, phone counseling was offered to women who had suffered a miscarriage and were experiencing "subsyndromal" depression - i.e., less severe than major clinical depression, but responsible for significant symptoms like trouble sleeping, chronic low energy, overeating or lack of appetite, and "blue" feelings of hopelessness.

What's so great about findings that phone-based counseling benefits some women is that this method of delivering mental health care overcomes some of the biggest challenges to getting help - such as reluctance to meet with a therapist face-to-face or trouble scheduling appointments during regular office hours.

The other exciting suggestion from this (admittedly small, and therefore limited) study: Most of the participants were Hispanic and many were on Medicaid. The findings that these women were helped by phone counseling suggest that this approach may be an effective way to reach out to women who have been traditionally under-served.

Past research has shown that women who suffer a miscarriage are at risk not only of major depression, but of the considerably more common subsyndromal depression, as well - So this is a need yet to be fully addressed by the healthcare system and by advocates interested in women's and family health.

The abstract of this study is not available online to non-subscribers, but Reuters Health did a story summarizing the methodology, findings, and implications for follow-up. Click here to read it.

Posted by Sarah M. at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (61) | TrackBacks (2)

A new study published in the September issue of the journal Pediatrics reaffirmsthat maternal depression is associated with lower mean reading, math, and general knowledge scores in their children - in addition to a significant negative impact on a child's interpersonal skills. But it also goes a step further.

Since domestic violence and maternal depression often co-exist within a family, the research team looked at what happens to children's outcomes when they live with both conditions.

They found: Among children with dual exposure to maternal depression and violence, decreases in mean scores for reading, mathematics, and general knowledge more than doubled in magnitude, compared with those among children exposed to either factor alone. In terms of behavior, children with dual exposure also had significantly lower scores for self-control.

Conclusions: "When coexistent within the same family, maternal depression and violence were associated with poorer cognitive abilities and more-concerning child behaviors than when each was present individually."

The study sample was drawn from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey, Kindergarten Cohort. The survey draws from a nationally representative sample of children who attended kindergarten in 1998 to 1999 and monitors the children through the fifth grade with regular face-to-face parent interviews, teacher surveys, and direct cognitive assessments. Depressive symptoms and exposure to violence among respondent biological mothers were assessed, as were child and family characteristics, school functioning, and child behavior. A total of
12,083 mother-child dyads participated.

For the abstract, click here.

Posted by Sarah M. at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (4)

Findings from the first study to look at postpartum suicide risks, published in the September issue of the journal Pediatrics: Mothers whose babies die at birth or during infancy are at increased risk for suicide attempts. The study found that women who suffered a fetal death after 20 weeks gestation or lost their babies in infancy had a threefold increase in the risk for committing suicide.

Additional findings: Other complications, such as problems during labor and delivery or having a Cesarean section, did not appear to affect a new mother's suicide risk.

This study was funded by a grant from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and conducted by a team from the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center in Washington state. It was prompted by the death of Seattle wife and mother Carol Soukakos, who suffered severe postpartum depression after the birth of her son and committed suicide in 2002. Her husband has become a tireless advocate for postpartum mental health in Washington, working closely on the state's new "Speak Up When You're Down" campaign.

Among the research team's recommendations based on the data from this study: Women who experience an infant death should receive careful monitoring and mental health services in the postpartum year.

For the abstract of this study, click here.

Posted by Sarah M. at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (147) | TrackBacks (6)

Advocate Katherine Stone has posted an important entry on her (fabulous!) blog, Postpartum Progress, regarding the effectiveness of the widely-used Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in diagnosing women who have postpartum anxiety disorders:

"Edinburgh Scale May Not be Broad Enough to Identify Women with Postnatal Anxiety"

Posted by Sarah M. at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Doesn't exactly come as a surprise, but...

A new study published in the journal General Hospital Psychiatry suggests that two-thirds of the pregnant women who have depression are not being treated for it with either medication or talk therapy. The research team notes that depression during pregnancy is often overlooked and undertreated - and that this situation puts both mother and baby at risk.

In addition, this study - which looked at a sample of 1,800 women - reaffirms that approximately 10 to 15 percent of pregnant women experience depression, and that it is THE strongest risk factor for PPD. Take-home message: Recognizing and treating depression during the pregnancy is a proven method for preventing PPD in new moms!

Posted by Sarah M. at 04:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (4)

An interesting new study on PPD was published in the July 2006 edition of Maternal and Child Health Journal: "The Role of Social Networks and Support in Postpartum Women's Depression: A Multiethnic Urban Sample."

Researchers explored the relationship of social support and social networks to symptoms of depression in a multi-ethnic sample of new moms.

The team randomly sampled women at community health centers in a Northeastern city were from groups stratified by race/ethnicity (African American, Hispanic, and white) and by postpartum interval. The used each mother's score on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression Scale (CES-D) as the dependent variable. The main independent variables included the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Social Support Survey and a social network item. They looked interactions between race and social support, race and social networks, and social support and social networks.

Findings:

* The authors conclude that both low or absent social support and social networks were statistically significant and independently related to depressive symptoms.

* Having two or more friends or family members available was associated with a 13.6-point lower mean score on the Depression Scale, compared to women reporting none or only one available person.

* The multivariate models with MOS Social Support scale indicated that each 10-point increase in the MOS Social Support Survey was related to a 2.1-unit lower score on the Depression Scale.

Hopefully new research will continue to look at factors such as race/ethnicity, class, socio-economic status, and social support, and the extent to which they influence PPD and other perinatal mood disorders. There's so much we still don't know!

Posted by Sarah M. at 08:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

The National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) at the NIH (National Institutes of Health) in suburban Washington, DC is in the midst of three long-term studies on postpartum depression, and they have an ongoing need for research subjects.

If you are a mom who fits the profile to participate and you would like to contribute to cutting-edge knowledge of perinatal mental health, check these links for more details:

1) "Women with a History of Postpartum Depression: The Effects of Hormones in Postpartum Mood Disorders"

2) "Women with Postpartum Depression: A Treatment Study"

3) "Women with PPD: An Observational Study"

To find out if you qualify to participate or to get more info, send email to: nimhcore (at) mail (dot) nih (dot) gov or call 301.496.5645.

Posted by Sarah M. at 02:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (19)