097 Dr. Diane Putnick: Postpartum Depression and Beyond

Postpartum depression is a significant public health concern that affects approximately 10-15% of new mothers. For the most part, societal attitudes toward postpartum depression have changed as the conditions become more recognized. However, not only the mother suffers, but the impact on the infant can also be detrimental and long-lasting. In today’s episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Diane Putnick discuss many of the questions around postpartum depression including: Why do some women suffer postpartum depression and others don't? Will it go away on its own? How long does it last? The answers to these questions are not only surprising but critical to get proper care for the mother and those for the infant as well. 

 Key Takeaways:

• There is not great data about who gets treatment for postpartum depression because it's hard to estimate how many women are suffering in silence and never actually get diagnosed.
• It's really important for people to know that if you're experiencing these long-term symptoms, you're not alone.  
• Research hasn’t shown any evidence that postpartum depression is on the rise. If anything, it actually may be on the decline.

"I think people also confuse the baby blues with postpartum depression. The big difference between the baby blues and postpartum depression is the severity and the persistence of the problem and the symptoms." —  Dr. Diane Putnick

Connect with Dr. Diane Putnick:

Professional Bio: nichd.nih.gov/about/org/diphr/officebranch/eb/putnick  

Publons: publons.com/researcher/2870386/diane-l-putnick

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diane-putnick-051aa262

References:

Mom’s Mental Health Matters: nichd.nih.gov/ncmhep/initiatives/moms-mental-health-matters/moms

Connect with Therese:

Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: [email protected]

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