Published: August 13, 2006 11:52 pm         

Postpartum depression affects 13 percent of mothers

Everyone expects a woman to be happy after giving birth.

“It’s the social norm,” said Joanne Goldbort, director of maternal health services at Union Hospital in Terre Haute.

However, for some new moms, the reality is far from smiling over that so-called “bundle of joy.” About 13 percent of women experience postpartum depression, Goldbort said.

Different from the “baby blues,” a more common short-term period of sadness associated with hormonal changes and exhaustion, postpartum depression begins about two weeks after delivery. Signs and symptoms include fatigue, withdrawal, insomnia, severe mood swings and a new mom’s lack of concern for herself or her baby.

“Most women suffer in silence,” for at least a while before seeking help, said Goldbort, who while completing her doctorate researched the depression women experience after unexpected birth experiences.

Later this month, Union Hospital’s Maternal Health Clinic will host educational sessions on postpartum depression.

Sara Wheeler, dean of the Lakeview College of Nursing in Danville, Ill., is scheduled to present information on the subject during two sessions Aug. 31 at the Landsbaum Center for Health Education in Terre Haute.

Wheeler will be joined by Margaret M. Pike, an associate professor at the Indiana University School of Nursing.

An afternoon session will be offered for nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, chaplains and social workers who care for women postpartum. An evening session will be open to the public. A grant is covering the cost of the program.

Risk factors for postpartum depression include a history of depression after a past birth, a family history of depression, social stresses and a lack of social support, Goldbort said.

In the extreme, some women experience postpartum psychosis, which is marked by confusion, disorientation, hallucinations, delusions, paranoia and fear of harming oneself or the baby.

The case of Andrea Yates, a Texas woman who was retried last month after drowning her children in 2001, has brought the issue of postpartum depression to the forefront. The defense has said Yates suffered from severe postpartum psychosis after the birth of her fifth child.

Goldbort said it’s important for women who are experiencing any form of postpartum depression to have support and to get intervention, for the health of the new mom, as well as her baby and other family members.

Karin Grunden can be reached at (812) 231-4257 or karin.grunden@tribstar.com.

If you go

What: The Many Faces of Postpartum Depression, an informational session sponsored by Union Hospital Maternal Health Clinic.

When: Aug. 31. A session from 7 to 9 p.m. will be open to the public. A session from 1 to 4:30 p.m. is for nurses, and other professionals who care for women postpartum.

Where: Landsbaum Center for Health Education auditorium at 1433 N. 6½ St. in Terre Haute

Cost: Free

For more information, or to register for either program, contact Mary Huffman at (812) 238-7301 or mhuffman@uhhg.org.