Speak Up Washington E-Newsletter JUNE NEWS New Money for the Speak Up When You’re Down Campaign! Thanks to the tireless work of advocates and in particular the Speak Up Leadership Team, the campaign, led by Children’s Trust of Washington (formerly WCPCAN), received $170,000 for the biennium! This will allow the campaign to produce a radio PSA about Postpartum Depression and translate the brochure into other languages besides English and Spanish, among other things. To view what the campaign has accomplished so far, visit: http://www.speakup.wa.gov/.    New Mothers Suffer in Silence and Shame; We Must Ask Them Questions, Coordinate Their Care BY SANDRA R. WOLKOFF The tragic suicide of Deborah Thomas, the 33-year-old pregnant woman from Atlantic Beach who recently took her life and that of her baby even as she was being treated for a mental illness, will have a positive side if her husband and family are successful in publicizing the depression that they believe ultimately killed her. One reason Thomas' story became big news is that we like to think of pregnancy as a joyous time. But for too many women, that's a myth. Extreme mood disorders, known as postpartum depression, can set in during pregnancy, and shortly after birth as well, and last for a year or longer. A friend or family member who suspects something is wrong will need the courage to ask the first simple and revealing questions and make statements that can give us more clues about how pregnant and new mothers may be feeling - and tolerate really listening to the responses: Do you feel like yourself? Are you sleeping at all? You look as if you have been crying. You look uncomfortable holding the baby. You don't seem to be eating. When the baby cries, do you wish that you could just disappear? Pediatricians and obstetricians, social workers and psychiatrists, midwives and nurses are the care providers’ women use. All of us in these fields will have to work closely together to challenge the stigma of emotional disorders, to inform women and their families that there is help and to assure them that they need to get that help quickly. To read the full article, published in Newsday, click here.   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 Promoting Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy July 23rd – 24th, Seattle, Washington This is a post-institute workshop following the 12th Biennial NCAST-AVENUW Institute July 20th and 21st. This workshop addresses a woman’s psychological and emotional health during pregnancy. This highly regarded training program will be available for a maximum of 25 participants and will be held at the Hotel Deca in Seattle. Research has shown that a mother’s mental health and emotional state during pregnancy has an immediate and direct impact on her lifelong relationship with her infant. In turn, the health of the mother-child relationship directly impacts the child’s quality of life, possibly throughout the lifespan. By helping the pregnant woman achieve a healthier mental and emotional state during pregnancy, we are able to improve the chances that she and her child will experience a healthier relationship. The $340 registration fee includes the book, Promoting Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy by Dr. JoAnne Solchany and the intervention/handouts packet. Registration will be accepted both days only and with full payment. You may register online, or send in your registration and payment via mail or fax. Hotel Reservations for Post-Institute lodging at Hotel Deca should be made directly with the hotel at 1-800-899-0251 Mention NCAST-AVENUW for the discounted rate of $169 (plus tax). This rate is guaranteed through June 22, 2007, and after that date on a space as available basis. For more information or to register, go to: www.ncast.org/documents/institute_brochure07_final_4_17.pdf. Scroll to the end of the Institute brochure to see info about this workshop.   Consider Becoming a Postpartum Doula August 1st – 4th, Seattle, Washington The postpartum period is often the most challenging and overlooked time in the transition to parenthood. Many new families lack the care they need following the birth of their baby. The postpartum doula helps meet this need by educating, nurturing, and empowering mothers and families towards confidence in their new roles. A doula may provide assistance ranging from breastfeeding support to mother/baby care to cooking and housework. If you are interested in becoming a postpartum Doula, Take a four-day Postpartum Doula Training at Seattle Midwifery School. For more information, go to: www.seattlemidwifery.org/doula_education.htm.   Beyond the Birth: Current Trends in Treating Perinatal and Postpartum Mood Disorders September 21st, 7:30 am – 4:45 pm, Bellevue, Washington “Beyond the Birth: Current Trends in Treating Perinatal and Postpartum Mood Disorders”, Postpartum Support International of Washington’s 2007 Conference, will take place on September 21st at the Meydenbauer Center. The conference is designed to educate professionals in the birthing community, such as therapists, physicians, midwives, doulas, lactation consultants, childbirth educators, and more. For more information or to register, go to: http://www.ppmdsupport.com/. THIS IS A CHILDREN’S TRUST/WCPCAN SPONSERED EVENT.

RESEARCH Study Shows Significant Association between Smoking, Mental Disorders in Pregnant Women New research has identified an association between mental disorders and nicotine dependence among pregnant women in the United States, not unlike what has been reported in the general population. The presence of these mental disorders in nicotine addicted pregnant women may make quitting smoking more difficult. Published in the April 2007 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, this study was supported in part by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health. Researchers found that 21.7 percent of the pregnant women in the study used cigarettes and among those women, 57.2 percent were nicotine dependent. These results indicate that in the United States an estimated 12.4 percent of pregnant women are addicted to cigarettes. Women with nicotine dependence were more likely to meet criteria for at least one mental disorder compared to those that did not use cigarettes during pregnancy. Significant associations were found for dysthymia (a chronic depressive condition), major depressive disorder, and panic disorder. The authors concluded from these findings that encouraging women to quit smoking before they become pregnant is important to the health of the fetus, in addition to improving the health of the mother. Pregnant women who smoke cigarettes run an increased risk of having infants with low birth weight and their children face an increased risk for learning and behavioral problems. To read the full article, go to: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/apr2007/nida-03.htm.

RESOURCES Online Manual to Help Pediatricians Screen Parents for Depression A new online manual based on the experiences of Dartmouth Medical School’s Parental Well-Being Project, helps pediatric clinicians successfully screen parents for depression, discuss with them the impact depression can have on their children, and refer parents for counseling. For more information, go to: www.cmwf.org/tools/tools_show.htm?issue_id=3381&doc_id=478880&#doc478880.   New HRSA Booklet Promotes Greater Awareness of Perinatal Depression A new booklet on depression during and after pregnancy (perinatal depression) released by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) contains tips on identifying the condition in mothers and offers six steps to help treat it successfully. Perinatal depression includes a broad range of physical and emotional symptoms that many women face during pregnancy or within a year following the birth of a child. Called "Depression During and After Pregnancy: A Resource for Women, Their Families, and Friends,” the 22-page booklet is designed to increase awareness among women and clinicians of perinatal depression’s impact and pervasiveness. As many as 80 percent of women experience some type of depressive symptoms during pregnancy or soon after the birth of a child; most symptoms begin two to three days after birth. The new booklet also contains information for family members and a list of print and internet resources.  For more information or to download the booklet, go to: http://www.mchb.hrsa.gov/pregnancyandbeyond/depression/.

FEATURE ARTICLE: NEW BOOK - AMERICA'S MATERNITY CARE SYSTEM Born in the USA by Marsden Wagner In his new book, a longtime medical insider and international authority on childbirth assesses the flawed American maternity care system, powerfully demonstrating how it fails to deliver safe, effective care for both mothers and babies. Buy it at Amazon from Seattle Midwifery’s home page at: www.seattlemidwifery.org/#Amazon.