Speak Up Washington E-Newsletter OCTOBER NEWS Summer Edition of Northwest Bulletin: Preventing Perinatal Depression This issue of the Northwest Bulletin is dedicated to preventing perinatal depression. In one article, JoAnne Solchany emphasizes that it is important for pregnant women to prevent the onset of depression as it not only negatively affects the ability of a mother to prepare for her new baby but also negatively affects the development of the fetus. In another article, J. Martin Maldonado-Durán looks beyond the characteristics of individual mothers to modern society as a whole, where he sees social isolation as one cause of perinatal depression. Public health professionals in Washington are finding ways to prevent and treat perinatal depression. Doulas now provide support for women in the postpartum period, in addition to providing support in delivery and labor rooms. In Idaho, hospitals have adopted common standards for postpartum depression screening, education, and follow-up. Statewide campaigns, such as Washington State’s Speak Up When You’re Down, are increasing awareness of perinatal depression. Oregon communities have developed local perinatal mental health support networks. And finally, state agencies are collecting data to document the extent of the problem and to use in developing and evaluating programs. To access the full issue of Northwest Bulletin, go to: http://depts.washington.edu/nwbfch/PDFs/NWBv21n2.pdf.   Volunteer with Postpartum Support International of Washington to Help Families in Need Postpartum Support International of Washington is recruiting volunteers!  We have several Board of Director positions open. Phone Volunteers, including those speaking fluent Spanish, are also needed to return calls to mothers and family members of those experiencing the effects of Postpartum Mood Disorders (PPMD).  Phone volunteers must have experienced and recovered from their own PPMD.  We are also seeking postpartum Support Group Facilitators in areas all around the state.  We often have other important projects that require attention as well, and welcome those who wish to serve as Volunteers at Large, taking on various tasks as needed.  We highly encourage anyone wishing to serve families in need to contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Kathleen Pantoja, at kathleenpantoja@ppmdsupport.com to discuss volunteer opportunities and to request an application. You may also dial 1.888.404.7763 to leave a message.   Research and Resources Welcome  Do you know of a great article, resource or event related to Postpartum Depression? This newsletter will come out once a month and we want to ensure we are including the newest research, the best resources and all relevant events, so PLEASE, send on anything you think might be of use to others interested in the topic of Postpartum Depression. Send any links, articles or the like to Kristen Rogers at kristen@wcpcan.wa.gov. Thank you!

EVENTS Free Perinatal Mood Disorder Informational Conference Calls Postpartum Support International is offering free Perinatal Mood Disorder Informational sessions via an 800 teleconference line. Limited to the first 15 callers, these sessions, which are informational only, will offer participants an opportunity to ask questions and obtain information from PSI healthcare professionals. The sessions are opened to women who feel they may be suffering from a pregnancy related mood disorders as well as concerned family members and friends. In October, calls are scheduled every Wednesday. To participate, participants must call 1-800-994-8766 five minutes before the call begins. For more information, go to: http://postpartum.net/info-sessions.html.   Bringing Baby Home Certification Training in Seattle This October 26-28 training is taught by master trainers Carolyn Pirak, MSW and Joni Parthemer, MEd, and offered under the direction of John Gottman, PhD, and the Relationship Research Institute of Seattle. Professionals from a variety of disciplines (including educators, nurses, social workers, doulas, midwives, childbirth educators and clergy) will learn to teach pregnant and parenting couples the relationship skills essential for a successful transition to parenthood.  Visit www.bbhonline.org/training.aspx to register.

RESEARCH Postpartum Depression Screening by Family Nurse Practitioners The purpose of the study was to identify whether and how nurse practitioners (NPs) screen for postpartum depression, as well as to identify factors affecting such screening. Despite the fact that 84% of NP respondents saw at least one postpartum woman yearly, 42% never screened for postpartum depression in any way. The subjects' confidence in their knowledge of how to use a screening tool was the single best predictor of screening behavior. NPs tend to follow clinical practice guidelines, but no guidelines exist to address postpartum depression specifically. Screening for postpartum depression is not universal, making it likely that prevailing estimates of the incidence of this disease are low. If the number of NPs who screen for postpartum depression could be increased, many postpartum patients and families could be positively affected. Advanced practice nursing education should adequately prepare graduates to screen at-risk patients. The development of graduate curricula including thorough units on postpartum depression, as well as formulation of clinical practice guidelines for postpartum depression, could make great strides toward more and better screening, prompt diagnosis, and treatment. For more information or to read the full article, click here.   Barriers to Mental Health Care in Low-Income Mothers “Why Lower Income Mothers Do Not Engage With the Formal Mental Health Care System: Perceived Barriers to Care” is a study out of the Portland State University Research and Training Center for Family Support and Children's Mental Health. This qualitative study examines why a sample of low-income mothers with significant mood and anxiety disorders did not seek care despite the fact that their own children were receiving mental health services. To view the full study, go to: http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/PDF/dt144.pdf.   Antidepressants Pose Low Risk of Birth Defects Taking antidepressants containing SSRIs (selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors) does not significantly increase a woman's risk of giving birth to a child with birth defects. That's according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study, released in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). The study examined four types of SSRIs and 18 birth defects, including those of the spine, brain, heart, and mouth. The women in the study took antidepressants a month before becoming pregnant or during the first three months of pregnancy. While the results are generally reassuring regarding the use of antidepressants during pregnancy, the CDC recommends that women speak with their physician to weigh the risks and benefits. To read the full article, go to: www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/2007/r070627.htm.   Children Who Complete Intensive Early Childhood Program Show Gains in Adulthood: Greater College Attendance, Lower Crime and Depression By the time they reached adulthood, graduates of an intensive early childhood education program for poor children showed higher educational attainment, lower rates of serious crime and incarceration, and lower rates of depressive symptoms than did non-participants in the program, reported researchers in a study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health. The Child-Parent Centers (CPC) program in the Chicago Public School System provided intensive instruction in reading and math from pre-kindergarten through third grade, combined with frequent educational field trips. The children’s parents received job skills training, parenting skills training, educational classes and social services. They also volunteered in their children’s classrooms, assisted with field trips and attended parenting support groups. To read the full report, go to: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/aug2007/nichd-07.htm.

RESOURCES New Great Starts Guide to Birthing Options in the Seattle Area The New Great Starts Guide to Hospitals, Birth Centers, and Home Birth Midwives in King County helps parents find care provider and birth place that is best for them. This 24-page magazine includes articles on types of care providers and birth places, care recommendations, and survey results from local providers sharing their policies, services, and intervention rates. The guide is available directly from Parent Trust for Washington Children at: www.greatstarts.org/bookstore.htm#Guide and is also available at local maternity stores and baby boutiques.

FEATURE ARTICLE: POST-NATAL PSYCHOSIS GENE FOUND Post-natal Psychosis Genes Found Researchers at Cardiff University have helped locate the genes which can make women more vulnerable to severe mental illness just after childbirth. The discovery could lead to new treatments for the condition, known as postpartum psychosis, scientists said. The condition is one of the most severe forms of mental illness and there is an increased risk of suicide. Women with bipolar disorder are often affected with one in three deliveries followed by an episode of the illness. Postpartum psychosis is not the same illness as postnatal depression. It comes on in some women within a few days of giving birth. It is also a less common disease than postnatal depression, affecting approximately one woman in 500, but is more severe in its effects. The study, funded by the Wellcome Trust, and involving a collaboration between Cardiff University, Birmingham University and Trinity College, Dublin, has helped pinpoint the genetic cause of the disease. The team examined the DNA of families in which at least one woman had suffered with an episode of postpartum psychosis. The researchers found the location of the genes involved in the illness and are now honing in on the genes themselves. For more information, click here.