US touts studying postpartum depression

The House on Monday urged health agencies to expand research into postpartum depression problems that affect up to one-fifth of new mothers and can, if untreated, lead to more serious psychoses. The measure encourages government agencies to carry out a national campaign to increase awareness of the issue. The proposed legislation cites studies that up to 80 percent of new mothers experience "baby blues," characterized by mood swings, feelings of being overwhelmed and irritability. It said more serious postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, which can occur during pregnancy and anytime within the first year of the infant's birth, impair between 10 and 20 percent of new mothers. Postpartum psychosis, striking one in 1,000 new mothers, may entail losing touch with reality, delusions, auditory hallucinations, paranoia and hyperactivity. It notes that while the causes of postpartum depression are unknown, theories include a steep and rapid drop in hormone levels after childbirth, difficulty during labor or pregnancy and external factors such as a lack of support from one's spouse, stressful events such as the death of a loved one or a previous history of depression.

Bonnie - some of the causative factors for postpartum depression are known and are preventable with proper nutrition and optimal nutrient intake before, during, and after birth. Magnesium is the most important nutrient for preventing postpartum. However, magnesium deficiency is never addressed when symptoms begin to show. Also, it is known that rapidly dropping progesterone can be implicated. A blood test can be corroborate this. Let's hope this bill will help reveal the importance of balancing nutrition and hormones for pregnancy and for postpartum.