Pregnant African American Women 's Attitudes Toward Perinatal Depression Prevention

Postpartum depression can have serious consequences for the health of both mother and child. Indeed, a recent study of 10, 000 postpartum women found 19.3% of women with postpartum depression had considered hurting themselves (5). In the United Kingdom suicide is the leading cause of maternal death in the postpartum period (6). Even in less severe cases, postpartum depression may compromise caregiving practices (e.g., are less likely to use car seats, breastfeed, or ensure that their child receives up to date vaccinations); (7;8) and maternal-infant bonding (e.g., are less responsive to their infants, engage in less face-to-face interactive play and participate in fewer enrichment activities); (7;9;10). These factors may be partly responsible for delayed cognitive, intellectual, social, and emotional development of the child (11-15). Given the negative consequences of postpartum depression, prevention and treatment is imperative.

Thesis: Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can greatly effect new mothers. Knowing how to recognize their symptoms and treating it can greatly increase chances of a healthy, happy living.

Segre, A. R. (n.d.). Perinatal Depression: A Review of U.S. Legislation and Law. Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3725295/

In conclusion, the authors research on pregnant African American women’s attitudes towards perinatal depression prevention (2013) may have open other avenues and reduce barriers and enhance the engagement in preventive intervention. The findings in this study sought out to explain why low-income African American pregnant women do not receive the same health care that other communities might. It answered questions like; do pregnant women refuse to take pharmacotherapy because they are afraid the baby will be harmed? Is their perception of certain approaches different from pregnant women of a different race or ethnicity? Or are these methods being hidden from the poor to be utilized only on the rich? When reading the critique of the article evaluated you were able to understand how well the authors analyzed each aspect by using qualitative and quantitative research and how it helped them find their results.

Postpartum psychiatric disorders, particularly depression, has become the most underdiagnosed complication in the United States. It can lead to increased costs of medical care, inappropriate medical care, child abuse and neglect, discontinuation of breastfeeding, and family dysfunction and adversely affects early brain development (Earls, 2010). Over 400,000 infants are born to mothers that are depressed. One of 7 new mothers (14.5%) experience depressive episodes that impair maternal role function. An episode of major or minor depression that occurs during pregnancy or the first 12 months after birth is called perinatal or postpartum depression (Wisner, Chambers & Sit, 2006). Mothers with postpartum depression experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion that may make it difficult for them to complete daily care activities for themselves or for others (Postpartum Depression). The six stages of postpartum are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance and PTSD. These stages may affect any women regardless of age, race, ethnicity, or economic status. However only a physician can diagnose a woman with postpartum depression. It does not occur because of something a mother does or does not do, it’s a combination of physical and emotional factors. After childbirth, the levels of hormones in a woman’s body quickly drop; which may lead to chemical changes in her brain (Postpartum Depression). Unbalanced hormones may trigger mood swings.

This is a research where the researchers are trying to find out how African American women think about perinatal depression prevention in comparison with African American women and white women. The researchers are also trying to figure out African American women are less likely to seek treatment for perinatal depression or to utilize any prevention methods. The researcher hypothesis is that if these women were giving information and different options to care they would seek treatment for preinatal depression either pharmacological or psychotherapy.

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects at least 10-20% of new mothers. However, the true incidence may be much higher due to the fact that screening is not considered to be a standard practice, leaving PPD undetected and untreated in many women (Schaar & Hall, 2014). Postpartum depression not only negatively affects the mother; it also has a negative impact on the infant. For this reason, it is important for the health care providers caring for pregnant and postpartum mothers to screen them for risk factors associated with PPD, as well as educate them on ways to lessen their chances of getting PPD. It is also important for the health care providers to screen for PPD with a standardized tool like the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and to take action in treating it when it is suspected or diagnosed.

The Center for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 20 people suffer from depression (2014). Although widely recognized and somewhat easy to diagnose, depression is an ignored and almost hidden, disease. In women, the statistics are especially grim for those who are pregnant or were recently pregnant. A great number of women suffer from postpartum depression; an illness which is often overlooked, misdiagnosed and untreated. Postpartum depression (PPD) has been defined as an emotional disorder that occurs in an estimated 10-15% of all women after childbirth (Liberto, 2010). Postpartum depression not only impacts the mother, but can cause long-term psychological challenges for the baby and create emotional turmoil for all family members.

Postpartum Depression is important because too often it affects the mother, her spouse, and the newborn child. This affects the relationship between the mother and child based on Erikson’s Psychosocial developmental Theory and the idea of trust vs. mistrust. If the child’s basic needs are not met that could lead to mistrust, anxiety, and insecurities. This could also lead to Reactive Attention Disorder, where the neglect a child experiences leads to difficulty making relationships. It’s also found to be more likely in mothers of colicky babies because if the child cries a lot the mothers are less likely to make an emotional connection.

Risks are higher among ethnic minority women or women with a lower socioeconomic status (SES), and suffering from a major depressive disorder. Yet, less than half of these women will be identified or treated for PPD disorder (Yonkers, p. 1856). The woman who are vulnerable for this disorder can be identified by risk factors during the postpartum period. These factors may include a history of major depression, depressive symptoms during the pregnancy, obstetrical complications, unstable marriage (significant other), stressed life events, low income, educational attainment, and not breastfeeding (Yonkers, 2001), and these factors can be used to assess women outside of the postpartum period.

Sheryl Goodman, Kristen Williams, and Sona Dimidjian hypothesis in “Pregnant African American Women’s attitudes Towards Perinatal Depression Prevention” is that African American women are less likely to seek help for depression either after the birth of their child or right before the child is born specifically low income women. It states that although perinatal depression is common for women it is very high among African American women than any other race.

In this paper I will be critiquing the research done by “Goodman, S. H., Dimidjian, S., & Williams, K. G. (2013). Pregnant African American women’s attitudes toward perinatal depression prevention”. This is an interesting article in the fact that it goes into details on depression in African American women and how they react towards the prevention of depression perinatal. In this critique, I will discuss the questions that they are asking to be answered as well as if the writers show a well-rounded synopsis of the up to date understanding about this topic and if I thought there was any prejudice. Next, I will talk about the methods that were used in this experiment if it was experimental or non-experimental, or if it was qualitative or quantitative, the way it was tested, as well as how the information was collected. Next, the ethical aspects of this study will be evaluated. The next part is that I will examine the results of this research. There will be a short synopsis of the information and outcome done in this analysis. Then, I will discuss if the researchers kept their analysis and the outcome separated from the examinations outcome. Lastly, I will explain the course for the expected study this is proposed by the writers and weigh their usefulness to this study.

The birth of a child can be a very exciting time in a mother's life, but sometime the feeling of excitement can be overshadowed by extreme mood swings, uncontrollable crying, the feeling of sadness, the loss of appetite, feeling angry followed by anxiety and restlessness. These are all symptoms of postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is a severe mental disorder that some time will occur after giving birth or after being pregnant. According to research postpartum depression usually will occur within a year after giving birth. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 11 to 20% of women who give birth each year have postpartum depression symptoms. ). Although researchers have not been able to determine one main

Introduction: Pregnancy and postpartum are considered as high risk periods for the emergence of psychiatric disorders. Postnatal depression (PND) is one of the most common psychopathology in these phases. PND describes non-psychotic depressive episodes, with loss of interest, insomnia, and loss of energy experienced by mothers within the period of 4 to 6 weeks after delivery [1]. A wide range of PND prevalence (10-42%) has been reported across the globe [2-11]. It is considered a serious public health issue because of its devastating effects on mothers, families, and infants or children [12]. Accurate estimates of PND prevalence are difficult to obtain as cultural norms may affect women’s reporting of their symptoms and

To begin, Depression has been recognized as a disease that affects fetal health. Depressed mothers are more likely to have children with adjustment problems such as mood disorders. They tend to be more difficult, do not have