Postpartum depression is defined by Ford-Martin as a mood disorder that begins after childbirth and usually lasts at least six weeks. It affects roughly 15% of all childbearing women. Although its causes are unknown, postpartum depression is speculated to be caused by a number of factors that are different from woman to woman. One main factor may be the drastic hormone changes during and immediately following a pregnancy. This, however, should not be confused with the "baby blues" which typically dissipates within the first ten days following the delivery. On the other hand, postpartum depression persists long after this ten

So we are now left with the question of how exactly to treat this disease. Since this disease can last from anywhere between a few weeks to six months, proper treatment is essential for a full recovery. There are a number of effective treatments such as

Not only does postpartum depression affect the new mother, but it can also have an effect on the mother's friends and family. The woman's husband, fiancee, or significant other may feel that they are the one to blame. They may have feelings of guilt and sadness because they "did" something to cause the onset of this depression. Conversely, they may feel anger towards the woman. Maybe she is making this up or maybe she somehow caused this.

Postpartum depression is a debilitating disease that affects roughly 15% of all childbearing women. It is this writer's opinion that there should be mandatory screenings of prenatal and postnatal women to make sure that their mental health is in tact. This may drastically reduce the number of child deaths due to the disease. Screening would help detect or even prevent many cases of postpartum depression. Another idea would be to have more accessible meeting groups for new mothers where they may freely express their frustrations of this new career called motherhood. If systems such as the one described were in place for Andrea Yates, who knows what kind of difference could have been made. With early detection and preventative measures in place, we will surely be able to protect these new mothers and their children in their new lives.

Postpartum depression may also affect the family members. The increased stress from dealing with this diseased family member can lead to high blood pressure, ulcers, and even heart attacks. The affected woman's friends might not understand her disease. They might leave her or treat her differently because of this lack of understanding. The most important thing for the people who are close to the postpartum-affected woman to remember is that she needs their support, understanding,

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