Postpartum Depression PSA

Brandi Bartels, Trisha Fearing, Seth Klinehoffer, Hillman Brown, Allison Lopez
Goal/Mission
To combat stigmas associated with Postpartum Depression by providing education in
conversational, inclusive language and local counseling and community resources to new moms
and their families pre-birth.
- What is Postpartum Depression?
Postpartum depression is when a new mother has a major depressive episode within one
month after delivery. (https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/illnesses/postpartumdepression.html)
You will hear more about the symptoms and statistic associated with PPD later on in the
presentation. Many women who are struggling with PPD do not seek treatment because of
negative stigmas associated the experience itself and with seeking out help from doctors and
counselors.
- General Stigmas associated with PPD
- Fear of being seen as a bad mother (Kantrowitz-Gordon, 2013)
- Shame of admitting failure in accepting of medications (Kantrowitz-Gordon,
2013)
- Fear of being reported to child protective services (Kantrowitz-Gordon, 2013)
- The expectation that mothers take the primary parenting role, selflessly care for
their children, and handle the challenges of motherhood calmly (Kantrowitz-Gordon,
2013)
- Failure to achieve the idealized good mother role (Kantrowitz-Gordon, 2013)
- Fear of being labeled as crazy or Mentally Ill (Kantrowitz-Gordon, 2013)
- Stigma associated with shame of confessing suicidal thoughts (KantrowitzGordon, 2013)
- Pressure to live up to the celebrity image of successful mothers(Clark, H., 2008).
- The assumption that mothering instincts are genetic and mothers should
naturally feel nurturing, loving and maternal and prefer mothering to work (Clark, H.,
2008).
- Cultural Stigmas Associated with PPD
Many cultures do not perceive post partum depression as a medical problem
requiring medical and health care provider intervention (Teng & Stewart, 2007).
Some cultures believe that depression of any kind is a form of madness (Teng &
Stewart, 2007).

Knowledge that, in some cultures, stigma attached to mental illness may also be
associated with other female family members (example: sister of woman suffering PPD
may not be able to find a husband) (Teng & Stewart, 2007).
Cultural belief that you dont air your familys dirty laundry by going to a
mental health practitioner. (Teng & Stewart, 2007).
Husband dismisses symptoms as wife acting crazy (Teng & Stewart, 2007).
In some cultures, pressure not to shame the family by revealing mental illness
(Teng & Stewart, 2007).

Outcomes
- Normalize the experience with inclusive and conversational language, using
compelling statistics such as: An estimated 9-16 percent of postpartum women will
experience PPD, and the number increases to 41% if a woman has experienced PPD
during a previous pregnancy (American Psychological Association).
- Avoid medical/clinical/generalized language which leads back to stigmas.
- Allowing women and support systems to be able to process the information on
PPD during pregnancy before the onset of symptoms.
- Educating and encouraging women and support systems to utilize available
resources prior to 6-week post-birth follow up screening if necessary.
Educational Campaign
Postpartum depression is a major episode of depression experienced by new mothers
within the first month after childbirth.
We will re-word the names of symptoms in a more conversational way. Examples of this
would include referring to anxiety as excessive worrying about the babys well-being.
Or instead of using phrases like being a bad mother we can refer to actions such as
difficulty bonding with the baby.
In terms of family issues, we would do well to use more common language in referring to
aspects of PPD that adversely affect family. For example, instead of focusing on a
mothers ignoring family we should approach it simply as withdrawal from family and
friends due to depression.
In general, we need to avoid using polarizing terms in referring to any aspect of PPD. We
run the risk of alienating those suffering from the condition and diminishing the severity
of it when we do not view the symptoms as such. We want to also assure that all others
connected to new mtohers understand the symptoms and view them in such a way that
they are important and should be treated.

-Now that you know

- Hotline:
- Local counseling resource
-Talk to your OBGYN
Timeline:
-

Educational campaign is handed out at visit 36 week screening prior to due date.
- Pre-birth is when parents are seeking out information and have a
broad interest outside of just the experience of birth. It is a time to teach a new
mother to anticipate the help and support she might need for the birth of her
child (Zauderer, 2009).
- PPD is of the most frequent complications of pregnancy, however,
the screening and detection procedures by prenatal providers is inadequate. Both
the healthcare provider and the Mother are hesitant to discuss the topic meaning
PPD evades detection (Bowen et. al., 2014). This timeline bridges that gap so the
Mothers prepared and open to discussing and the healthcare provider has a means
to start the discussion.
- OBGYN Office, Parenting Classes/Birthing Classes, any community area new
mom might go etc.
- It was really important to identify a variety of places for new
moms and their support systems to get this information.
Survey through specific OGYN office.
Question presented at 6 week post-birth appointment and 1 year exam on questionnaire.
Focus group over a year.
Effectiveness:
-questions for patients during 6 week post-birth appointment and 1 year annual exam
-Questionnaire for OBGYN doctors after 1 year of handing out the materials.
While we believe that questions that are qualitative in nature, such as How many flyers were
given to patients during their 36 week appointment and How many of those patients asked
about postpartum, we feel that quantitative questions about the attractiveness, relevance,
persuasiveness, comprehensive nature, and acceptableness of the flyer will reflect the
effectiveness of the campaign. Questions will be presented to patients during their 6 week postbirth appointment and 1 year annual appointment by their OBGYN. The OBGYNs in the
practice chosen will receive a questionnaire after a year of passing out and tracking the materials.
Some of the questions included will be:

Attractive?
Patient: Did the flyer catch your eye?
OBGYN: Are the messages, visuals, and colors appealing to the
intended audience?
Personally relevant?
Patient: Was the information easy to understand and relate to?
OBGYN: Are the messages and visuals/demonstrations culturally appropriate
and meaningful to the learner?
Persuasive?
Patient: How did the facts affect your thoughts and feelings about postpartum depression? Did
the flyer help you make decisions about your own health?
OBGYN: Are persuasive arguments given to motivate change in behavior,
beliefs, or attitudes among the learners?
Comprehensive?
Patient: Did you feel the information was written in a way you could understand and read easily?
OBGYN: Is the text or narrative written at appropriate literacy levels, in the
correct language and dialect? Do visuals or demonstrations
clearly depict the messages focus? Does the learner understand the
message?
Acceptable?
Patient: Did you trust in the information given to you in the flyer?
OBGYN: Are the messages believable and credible?

Beyond the Brochure. (1994). Center for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp

American Psychological Association. Postpartum Depression. Retrieved from http://
www.apa.org/pi/women/programs/depression/postpartum.aspx.
Clark, H.(2008). Confessions of a Celebrity Mom: Brooke Shieldss Down Came the Rain: My
Journey through Postpartum Depression. Canadian Review of American Studies 38(3), 449-461.
University of Toronto Press. Retrieved August 14, 2015, from Project MUSE database.
Kantrowitz-Gordon, I. (2013). Internet confessions of postpartum depression. Issues in Mental
Health Nursing, 34(12), 874-882. doi:10.3109/01612840.2013.806618

Pugh, N., Hadjistavropoulos, H., Hampton, A., Bowen, A., & Williams, J. (2014). Client
experiences of guided internet cognitive behavior therapy for postpartum depression: A
qualitative study. Official Journal of the Section on Women's Health of the World Psychiatric
Association,18(449). doi:10.1007/s00737-014-0449-0
Sword, W., Busser, D., Ganann, R., McMillan, T., & Swinton, M. (2008). Women's care-seeking
experiences after referral for postpartum depression. Qualitative Health Research, 18(9), 11611173. doi:10.1177/1049732308321736
Teng, L., E, R. B., & Stewart, D. E. (2007). Healthcare worker's perceptions of barriers to care
by immigrant women with postpartum depression: An exploratory qualitative study. Archives of
Women's Mental Health, 10(3), 93-101. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00737-007-0176-x
Womenshealth.gov. https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/illnesses/postpartumdepression.html
Zauderer, C. (2009). Postpartum Depression: How Childbirth Educators Can Help Break the
Silence. 18(2), 23-31. doi:10.1624/105812409X426305