May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month

which is a wonderful time to highlight Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, mamas and partners affected, and all the great work happening in this field.

 

 

So here’s to you:

Here’s to the 1 in 5 mamas (and 1 in 3 mamas of color) who will get a Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder during her pregnancy or after having a baby.
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Here’s to the 1 in 10 Dads and same sex partners who will too.
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Here’s to the 15% of mamas who get treatment (and my heart aches for the 85% who don’t, we’re fighting for you and trying to do better for you).
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For all of us perinatal mental health therapists, advocates, providers, survivors, mamas, and daddies, you are more than a statistic to us.
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You are not alone and we’re here with you. Let’s get you help so you can get better.
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Here’s some nonprofits fighting for you, and Maternal Mental Health Week is a great week to focus on YOU. Support and information can be found here:

postpartumhealthalliance.org (for San Diego area)
postpartum.net (everywhere else)
everymothercounts.org
thebluedotproject.org
shadesofblueproject.org
2020mom.org
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And here’s to being informed:

Did you know that 1 out of 5 women will experience Perinatal Anxiety?

1 out of 7 women will experience Perinatal Depression.

1 out of 10 Dads and partners will experience Depression and/or Anxiety.

3-5% will experience Perinatal OCD.

9% will experience Postpartum PTSD.

Approximately 20% will experience Perinatal Bipolar Disorder.

1-2% will experience Postpartum Psychosis

Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders are the most common complications of pregnancy.  Can anyone guess the second most common complications of pregnancy?
. . .
It’s Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy Induced Hypertension which affect roughly 1 out of 20 women. And yet we routinely screen for these 2 complications, yet how many of you were screened for mood disorders during your pregnancy or postpartum recovery?

There’s no wonder why only about 15% of women with PMADs will go on to get treatment.  This is temporary and treatable if you can get to help.
We’ve got to do better and it begins with us! There are so many great OB’s and birth workers out there that are wonderful about screening for mental illness but if you or your loved one isn’t getting the help you need or being screened then please seek the help yourself using some of the resources above or in my Perinatal Mental Health tab. You’ve got this because we’ve got you. You’re not alone