NATIONAL DEPRESSION SCREENING DAY GOOD TIME TO LOOK AT DEPRESSION BEFORE AND AFTER PREGNANCY
By State Sen. Connie Williams

 On Oct. 11^th, the nation will recognize National Depression Screening Day with free depression screenings in communities around the state and across the country. I hope that people will take the time to learn more about depression and – even if they feel okay – consider taking a free online screening on the National Depression Screening Day Web site at: http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org.

 The screening takes only a few minutes to complete and results can be printed and taken with you to your medical clinician.

 Depression is individual, affecting people in different ways. While some people may feel sad, others may not be able to sleep normally, have difficulty thinking clearly, gain or lose weight for no apparent reason, or feel agitated or restless.

 In June, I spoke at a Pennsylvania Leadership Summit on Depression whose focus was on depression that can occur during and after pregnancy. Pregnancy and welcoming an infant into a family should be a joyful time, but for too many mothers, depression steals that joy and replaces it with an overwhelming fog.

 Maternal depression directly affects infant mental health and development and can be devastating to the entire family unit. Up until a few years ago, media coverage of pregnancy related depression focused on the few high profile, devastating cases of postpartum psychosis. The bravery of women like Brook Shields and Mary Jo Codey has begun to change the discussion and public understanding of perinatal depression (defined as depression that occurs during pregnancy and within one year after delivery).

 When looking into the issue of perinatal depression there are no hard and fast number of cases, although researchers feel that depression is one of the most common complications during and after pregnancy and may affect as many as one in seven pregnant women and new mothers. Because symptoms of depression, such as tiredness, problems sleeping, stronger emotional reactions and changes in body weight can also be typical symptoms during pregnancy, perinatal depression often goes undiagnosed and treated.

 Perinatal depression is different than what is commonly called "baby blues," which are the feelings that many women experience right after childbirth and that go away within a few days or a week.

 Depression is treated with therapy and medication, depending upon individual cases. If left untreated, depression can increase the risk of delivering an underweight baby or a premature infant, and it can cause some women to make poor choices when it comes to using alcohol or tobacco during pregnancy. After delivery, it can affect a woman's ability to parent, as well as her ability to meet her child's need for love and affection. This could cause delays in the infant's language development and problems with emotional bonding with others.

 There is something that everyone can do right now about depression – not just on National Depression Screening Day, but every day. If you are pregnant and are having trouble sleeping, feel sad or more emotional than normal, contact your doctor to request a screening. If you know someone who is pregnant that appears to be showing signs of depression, offer her information on where to turn for professional assistance. The same is true for new moms, who may be experiencing depression after delivery.

 Some good resources on perinatal depression for moms-to-be and their family and friends are available through the National Women's Health Information Center through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at http://www.4women.gov.

 Perinatal depression should not be relegated to the position of being normal for pregnant or new moms. It is a real health problem with real ramifications for the baby, the mom and for the people who interact with her. It is also important that we do not allow the stigma associated with mental illness to become a barrier to seeking care.

 There is an ongoing media campaign that speaks to the issue of depression. The message is that depression hurts everyone. In the case of perinatal depression, the life of an infant and a mother is at stake.