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Postpartum depression seems to be more common than thought among
U.S.
women, a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released on
Friday showed.
Postpartum depression, also known as postnatal depression is
a form of clinical depression, which can affect women after childbirth. Symptoms
of postpartum depression can occur anytime in the first year postpartum and
include, but are not limited to, the following: sadness, hopelessness, low
self-esteem, guilt, sleep disturbances, inability to be comforted, exhaustion, emptiness,
inability to enjoy things one previously enjoyed, social withdrawal, low energy
and feeling inadequate in taking care of the baby.
The approximately 52,000 new moms in 17 states included in the survey in
2004-2005 had to answer just two questions: 1.) "Since your new baby was
born, how often have you felt down, depressed, or hopeless?" and 2.)
"Since your new baby was born, how often have you had little interest or
little pleasure in doing things?"
The women answering “always” or “often” were considered to
suffer from postpartum depressive symptoms.
The prevalence of self-reported postpartum depression ranged
from 11.7 percent in Maine to 20.4 percent in New Mexico.
The most affected by postpartum depression seemed to be
teenage moms, mothers with less than 12 years of education, Medicaid patients,
smokers, victims of physical abuse before or during pregnancy and women under
traumatic of financial stress during pregnancy.
Women who have symptoms of postpartum depression are urged
to get treatment for the sake of mother and baby alike.
The survey’s findings were published in the April 11 edition
of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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