TAMPA, FL -- Is it baby blues, or something else? 20% of women suffer some type of postpartum depression after the birth of their child.
University Community Hospital is implementing a new program that will screen new mothers right after birth and offer support for those at risk. It’s a first of its kind program in Tampa Bay.
Maritza Hadley enjoys playing with baby Nicolas but that wasn't always the case.
The first month after Nicolas's birth was joyous. The second month Maritza says her hormone levels dropped and then, "In one weekend everything was night and day. Everything changed. I started to get very anxious, very tired. I was really depressed for one week. I didn't want to get up. The joy with Nicolas was gone."
Both she and her husband wondered what was going on with her, but her family had a medical background and got Maritza help.
Now experts at University Community Hospital are taking a proactive approach with their new mothers by first offering a voluntary screening test.
June Vinyard helps mothers like Maritza. "It asks 11 questions, and how they answer those questions determines whether they are at risk of developing postpartum depression in the future. So our goal is to educate them and to provide them with resources."
Maritza thinks it would have helped her. "I have a history of depression in my family. I learned after it, that is one of the risk factors."
Mothers who are deemed at high risk can join a new support group called the Mom to Mom Connection.
June says, "In talking with a lot of our patients that are scoring high and immediate risk, we have found that a lot of it is contributed to the economy and financial strains of the family. It can become dangerous if left untreated because people sort of shelter themselves, they resist going out in public and at times they may even become resistant toward their newborn."
Like Maritza did. Similar programs are mandated in five states across the U.S. June thinks screening tests and support groups should be mandated here, but for now, she's glad to offer women like Maritza the help they need.
Viewers interested in following up with June Vinyard, RN, Women's Center PPD program, can call her at 813-615-7390.
The Women's Center at UCH website is: www.uch.org
The international PPD group that has partnered with UCH to help with this new program is Postpartum Support International: www.postpartum.net
