Recently, I worked on a
project examining postpartum depression in developing countries, particularly
in South Asia. We soon realized that before such a sensitive topic could be
addressed, many cultural barriers had to be overcome, including the fact that
there isn’t even a word for depression in many South Asian languages! However,
for all of our Western advancements and openness in dialogue, mental health is
still relatively a taboo here too.
Postpartum depression is characterized by symptoms such as
depressed mood, weight changes, sleep disturbances, excessive anxiety, and possibly
even negative feelings towards the baby. If ignored, mothers may progress to
more severe depression and greater suicidal tendencies.
It’s hard to know exactly
how many women in the United States suffer from postpartum depression—estimates
range anywhere from 10-20%. The challenge is that there is currently no widely
used blood test or other objective test for diagnosing postpartum depression.
Physicians typically use tools like the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
(EPDS) to identify whether a mother’s self-reported symptoms are significant
enough to be labeled as postpartum depression. But, sometimes, when women are
told that the birth of a baby is supposed to be a joyous occasion, they don’t
always feel comfortable sharing that something is amiss.
Concerted efforts are
underway to change the national dialogue on postpartum depression with
celebrities like Chrissy
Teigen and Hayden Panettiere
speaking out about their experiences. As [future] physicians, regardless of
specialty, we too need to normalize such conversations. And a little technology
doesn’t hurt either.
The Glow Nurture app, named one 10 Best iPhone Apps, is a pregnancy and
postpartum companion app 
that allows women to check-in with themselves and connect with a
supportive community of other new moms. The app tracks the user’s daily
emotions and provides additional insights based on how the user is feeling. By
also noting the number of other users who feel the same way, it ensures that a
mother doesn’t feel alone.
that allows women to check-in with themselves and connect with a
supportive community of other new moms. The app tracks the user’s daily
emotions and provides additional insights based on how the user is feeling. By
also noting the number of other users who feel the same way, it ensures that a
mother doesn’t feel alone.
MGHPDS, an app developed by Massachusetts General Hospital, combines
elements of EPDS with other symptoms specific to postpartum depression to help
bring screening directly to women. If a user screens positive, she is presented
with referral sources and additional guidance. The developers plan to couple
the app with a digital treatment tool in a future version.
Of course, nothing beats
human support and medications when needed. But first, we have to start talking
about it.
Aleesha Shaik DUCOM 2019
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