September 2009
Dear Colleague,
The final verdict on health care reform is still out but the most recent version of the controversial bill (America's Affordable Health Choices Act, H.R. 3200) holds promising changes that will affect the care that pregnant women receive in the United States. Childbirth Connection, a not-for-profit maternal health care advocacy group, recently released their endorsement for this bill and identified several improvements of care, including:Poorly delivered or inaccessible maternal health care can contribute to negative outcomes such as poor diet and self-care while pregnant; preterm births; and heightened parental stress, all of which can affect the physical and mental health of both mother and baby. According to the Centers for Disease Control, our infant mortality rates rank 29th (nearly 7 deaths per 1000 births), and the percentage of our preterm birth rates rose by 9% between 2000 and 2005. And it's not that we don’t spend enough: The World Health Organization says that US health expenditures per capita are the highest in the world.
- Medicaid will pay for home visits by nurses both before and after birth
- Insurance companies may no longer consider pregnancy a pre-existing condition
- Insurance coverage parity for care by nurse-midwives
- Addressing health disparities by offering incentives to providers who care for perinatal women in underserved populations
Childbirth Connection is a national not-for-profit group that has educated about and advocated for high-quality maternity care since 1918. MedEdPPD supports their endorsement of this legislation. Please visit their site to learn more.
Medical Updates 
Prenatal social support, postnatal social support, and postpartum depression.
Xie RH, He G, Koszycki D, Walker M, Wen SW. Ann Epidemiol. 2009 Sep;19(9):637-43. Epub 2009 May 13.
This study examined the correlation between social support and rates of PPD in a Chinese population.
Bottle feeding simulates child loss: Postpartum depression and evolutionary medicine.
Gallup GG Jr, Nathan Pipitone R, Carrone KJ, Leadholm KL. Med Hypotheses. 2009 Aug 8. [Epub ahead of print]
Researchers believe bottle feeding and separation in the hospital may trigger a biological response in the mother that mimics the response to infant death.
Transdermal estradiol for postpartum depression: a promising treatment option.
Moses-Kolko EL, Berga SL, Kalro B, Sit DK, Wisner KL. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Sep;52(3):516-29.
This paper presents the scientific background supporting possible therapeutic benefits of synthetic estrogen to treat PPD.
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In The News 
Physicians issue guidelines on antidepressants and pregnancy
Newsday.com, August 21, 2009
The American Psychiatric Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have issued guidelines for treating pregnant women with depression, stressing talk therapy but stating that the risks of major depression or other major mental disorders are greater than the risks of using antidepressants in pregnancy.
Coping with postpartum depression — for dads
msnbc.com, August 13, 2009
Sex therapist and relationship counselor Ian Kerner, PhD, describes some of the warning signs for PPD in men and his own experience with depression after the birth of his son.
National Academy Urges Changes in Screening and Treatment of Depression
Psychiatric Times.com, August 11, 2009
A National Academy of Sciences advisory committee has made recommendations for depression care that include extending Medicaid coverage postpartum and expanding mental health care services for both women and their children.
View More»
Events Calendar 
New Jersey's 10th Annual Perinatal Health Disparities Conference: Improving Mental Health among Black Women, Children & Families
When: September 22 Where: Newark, NJ
Unmasking Postpartum Depression
When:September 29-October 1
Where: Regina, SK, Canada
Reproductive Health 2009
When: September 30-October 3
Where: Los Angeles, CA
Med Ed Resources 
Women's Behavioral HealthCARE
Women's Behavioral HealthCARE is an intellectual and strategic leader in Women's Behavioral Health, offering gender-based medicine and advocacy for women, their families, and communities.
Postpartum Progress
Promoting progress in treatment and comfort among sufferers of postpartum mood disorders, this blog is written by a woman diagnosed with postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder after the birth of her son.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism provides leadership in the national effort to reduce alcohol-related problems.
This Month's Poll 
As a health care provider, are you in favor of a public insurance option as part of national health care reform?
To participate in this month's poll click HERE.
Spread The Word
Click here to tell a colleague.
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