There are so many great posts and news stories about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders out there that it’s high time I did a news roundup.

Warrior Mom Stories

Prenatal Depression Nearly Drove Amanda Lee To Suicide — The Star   A great post on depression during pregnancy, also called antenatal depression or prenatal depression.

Mother’s Little Helper — What the Flicka Betsy Shaw writes about how she has fought against taking medication and tried to handle her depression on her own.

It’s Time to Speak Up: Postpartum Depression In African American Women — Black And Married With Kids Briana Myricks writes about the fact that women in the African American culture are resistant to speak up about PPD.

The $11 A Month That Changed My Life — Eat Pray Read Love Kelli writes about the fear of getting treated for PPD because of her Christian faith.

Not Always A Walk in the Park — Mikal & Josh This mom talks about the trauma of having a baby in the NICU and how it led to postpartum PTSD and anxiety.

Postpartum Depression — The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking Kelly writes about not recognizing she had PPD.

Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorder Research

The Best Behavioral Therapy for OCD – NIMH  New research finds a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy to be very effective for OCD.

Pregnancy Loss Increases the Risk of Postpartum Psychiatric Illness – MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health  Another study confirming the fact that women who experience miscarriage or stillbirth are more likely to have postpartum psychiatric illness after subsequent pregnancies.

Depressed Moms, Depressed Offspring – Los Angeles Times A British study finds that children who are born to moms with depression during pregnancy (antenatal depression) are more likely to experience depression in adolescence. “The findings, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, underscore the importance of treating depression in pregnant women, the authors wrote.”

Postpartum Diagnostic Switches Likely In Depressed Women – MedWire Research indicates that women with a history of major depression who show signs of hypomania after childbirth may actually have switched from depression to bipolar II in the postpartum period.

More

Why Maternal Mental Health Should Be A Priority — PLOS I found myself cheering as I read this piece. I’ve always found it shocking how little maternal mental health has been included, if at all, in conversations about global health and maternal health.

Is It The Baby Blues or Something More? — Psych Central 

Should Severe Premenstrual Symptoms be a Psychiatric Disorder? — NPR This story from NPR (you can scroll past the audio player to read the text version) takes a look at premenstrual dysphoric disorder and women who are affected by it.