Perinatal Mental Health


Focus Area for the Mountain Plains MHTTC


Did you know that 1 in 7 mothers will experience perinatal depression? Most of them won't share their concerns with family or a healthcare provider. Don't let mothers suffer in silence!

As a focus area of the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, we are helping to shine a spotlight on perinatal and maternal mental health. Did you know that 75% of mothers who experience maternal mental health will go untreated? Mothers who experience perinatal mental health concerns are at more risk of depression and anxiety, which can affect not only their relationships with their children but also with their significant others. The ripple effects can have a far-reaching outcome on relationships, work, happiness, and overall life satisfaction. We want anyone struggling with perinatal mental health concerns to have a place they can turn to seek help and find those that support them. 



Interactive Flipbook: An Introduction to Perinatal Mental Health Awareness and Screening


 

 

Use your mouse to zoom in/out or click on the bracket square to enter fullscreen.


Offer Your Support and Love


Don't ever let an opportunity to H.U.G. a mom pass you by! Ask her "HOW are you really doing?" Tell her "I UNDERSTAND how important your job is as a mother." Offer her your help by saying "I will GO with you to seek help." None of us should ever let a mother suffer in silence. So, ask yourself...have you given a mother a H.U.G. today?

HOW are they really doing? UNDERSTAND how important their job is. GO with them to seek help so they aren't alone.

What May Happen? 


pmh

The above infographic is from the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance. They are a great resource and have many fact sheets about different topics surrounding the perinatal and maternal mental health categories. You can view these fact sheets by clicking here.  


Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)


1

 

The EPDS is a set of ten screening questions that can indicate whether a parent has symptoms that are common in women with depression and anxiety during pregnancy and in the year following the birth of a child. 

It is strongly recommended that this set of questions be completed with a health professional. 

Click here or on the image to the left to view a downloadable PDF version of the EPDS scale.

I've Screened...Now What?


In 2021, the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center and the South Dakota Department of Health presented a two-hour training session on best practices for depression screening in perinatal populations. Screening for depression symptoms without established plans for follow-up interventions can create challenges and anxiety for providers working in a variety of settings. This training reviewed best practices when screening perinatal populations for depression, and when needed, how to implement a team-based response to patients expressing thoughts of suicide. This session also examined unique barriers experienced by perinatal persons when seeking care and discuss the importance of referral pathways for connecting individuals to care.

You can access the slide deck used for this presentation by clicking here. A recording of the presentation has also been made available and can be watched below. 


Resources


If you would like additional resources or have questions relating to perinatal mental health, please reach out to us at [email protected]


Perinatal Mental Health: Birth Trauma

To access slide deck, click DOWNLOAD above CLICK HERE to view the recording This event was held on May 25th, 2022 from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. MT/12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. CT.  Event Description May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness month.  As many as 1 in 5 new mothers experience some type of perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMADs). These illnesses frequently go unnoticed and untreated, often with long-term consequences to both mother and child.  No one is immune to experiencing PMADS. Women of every culture, age, income level and race can develop perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Symptoms can appear any time during pregnancy and the first 12 months after childbirth. There are effective and well-researched treatment options available to help women recover, but stigma often prevents women from seeking help.     Join us this month as we offer two 1-hour training sessions that address sensitive topics that are often missed in the perinatal mental health conversation: Grief and Loss, and Birth Trauma.    Learning Objectives: ·      Define birth trauma and related experiences during the perinatal period  ·      Recognize symptoms and  screening tools for birth trauma and PTSD  ·      Examine effective ways to support individuals who have experienced trauma during birth  Trainer Marianela Rodriguez-Reynaldo  Marianela Rodriguez-Reynaldo is a mother, postpartum doula, Certified Lactation Educator and Clinical Psychologist specialized in Perinatal Mental Health. She completed her Master’s degree at Xavier University in Ohio and went on to complete her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the Carlos Albizu University in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She has been a PSI Coordinator in Puerto Rico since 2009, has a private practice and led a monthly support group for parents who have experienced perinatal loss for 11 years. She is an activist for reproductive justice and human rights in maternal infant care. Provides training on perinatal mental health and trauma for health and birth professionals, is part of the expert panel for the Observatory of Obstetric Violence in Puerto Rico and serves as a Psychology Consultant for the Puerto Rico Health Department, Mother, Child and Adolescent Division (Title V). In 2020 she co-founded the first Center for Perinatal Mental Health in Puerto Rico that focuses on research, awareness, and service for this population. 

Perinatal Mental Health: Grief and Loss

To view slide deck, click DOWNLOAD above Recording coming soon! This event was held on May 17th, 2022 from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. MT/12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. CT.  Event Description May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness month.  As many as 1 in 5 new mothers experience some type of perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMADs). These illnesses frequently go unnoticed and untreated, often with long-term consequences to both mother and child.  No one is immune to experiencing PMADS. Women of every culture, age, income level and race can develop perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Symptoms can appear any time during pregnancy and the first 12 months after childbirth. There are effective and well-researched treatment options available to help women recover, but stigma often prevents women from seeking help.     Join us this month as we offer two 1-hour training sessions that address sensitive topics that are often missed in the perinatal mental health conversation: Grief and Loss, and Birth Trauma.    Learning Objectives: ·      Identify key concepts related to perinatal loss  ·      Consider the impact of grief and loss during the perinatal period  ·      Examine effective ways to support individuals who have experienced perinatal loss  Trainer Marianela Rodriguez-Reynaldo  Marianela Rodriguez-Reynaldo is a mother, postpartum doula, Certified Lactation Educator and Clinical Psychologist specialized in Perinatal Mental Health. She completed her Master’s degree at Xavier University in Ohio and went on to complete her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the Carlos Albizu University in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She has been a PSI Coordinator in Puerto Rico since 2009, has a private practice and led a monthly support group for parents who have experienced perinatal loss for 11 years. She is an activist for reproductive justice and human rights in maternal infant care. Provides training on perinatal mental health and trauma for health and birth professionals, is part of the expert panel for the Observatory of Obstetric Violence in Puerto Rico and serves as a Psychology Consultant for the Puerto Rico Health Department, Mother, Child and Adolescent Division (Title V). In 2020 she co-founded the first Center for Perinatal Mental Health in Puerto Rico that focuses on research, awareness, and service for this population. 
Copyright © 2024 Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network
map-markermagnifiercrossmenuchevron-down