Postpartum Depression Essay -- Health Medicine Reseach Papers

Postpartum Depression In 2001, Andrea Yates, a Texas mother, was accused of drowning her five children, (aged seven, five, three, two, and six months) in her bathtub. The idea of a mother drowning all of her children puzzled the nation. Her attorney argued that it was Andrea Yates' untreated postpartum depression, which evolved into postpartum psychosis that caused her horrific actions (1) . He also argued that Andrea Yates suffered from postpartum depression after the birth of her fourth child, and that she attempted suicide twice for this very disorder ((1)). What is postpartum depression, and how can it cause a mother to harm her very own children, altering her behavior towards her children in a negative way? One in ten women experience postpartum depression ((2)), a condition that often goes undiagnosed, and occurs in women after childbirth. A reason for the lack of diagnosis of postpartum depression is a milder, more common form of depression after childbirth, often known as the "baby blues". Th e baby blues occur in mothers three to five days after childbirth ((2)) , and may last for as little as a couple hours to a couple weeks ((4)). These symptoms include * mild sadness * tearfulness * anxiety * irritability, often for no clear reason * fluctuating moods * increased sensitivity * fatigue ((2)) The treatment for the baby blues are frequent naps, a proper diet, and plenty of support from partners, family, and friends ((3)). Generally, the baby blues subside without any sort of serious treatment. However, the baby blues may evolve into postpartum depression. One study discovered a link between postpartum depression and the baby blues: out of the women that were diagnosed with postpartum depres... ...lso drop during childbirth, and thus may be a factor in postpartum depression ((4)). Consequently, ways to prevent another Andrea Yates from going too far is to treat postpartum depression seriously. Because the baby blues are so common, postpartum depression and psychosis are often misdiagnosed as the baby blues, or even more frequently, not diagnosed at all. Thus, postpartum depression must be taken seriously. References 1)Study Works! Online: What is Postpartum Depression? http://www.studyworksonline.com/cda/content/article/0,,NAV4-42_SAR1208,00.shtml 2)Postpartum Depression and Caring for Your Baby http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_newborn/home/ppd_baby.html 3) Postpartum Coping: the Blues and Depression http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=HQ01243 4)Frequently Asked Questions about Postpartum Depression http://www.4woman.gov/