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Category: Pregnancy & Birthing

The Good Therapy Blog

Smoking during Pregnancy and Child’s Psychotropic Medication Use Not Linked

May 21st, 2013 . 2 Comments

Mothers who smoke during pregnancy (SDP) put themselves and their unborn children at risk for a variety of health issues. Existing research has indicated that smoking can increase the rate of psychological problems for children, and, in particular, increase the odds of conduct and oppositional defiance problems and attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD). Other studies... Read More

Financial Strain and Stress: The Effect on Multiethnic Pregnant Women

May 14th, 2013 . 3 Comments

Low socioeconomic status (SES) has been shown to be a high risk factor for negative mental health. Research in this area has suggested that people living in low SES have a greater risk for exposure to violence, being victims of violence, substance use and depression. For pregnant women,... Read More

Genetic Variations Found in Mothers with Caregiving Deficits

May 10th, 2013 . 13 Comments

Maternal caregiving has been shown to have a tremendous impact on a child’s outcome, physically and emotionally. Mothers who have depression tend to be more detached from their parenting role and show less warmth and support to their children than mothers without depression. Similarly, mothers who themselves experienced childhood adversity, including neglect, maltreatment, abuse, and abandonment,... Read More

Maternal Stress Decreases Blood Flow to Fetus

May 1st, 2013 . 3 Comments

Numerous studies have shown a link between the mental health of pregnant women and their unborn children. Aside from the genetic risk factors inherent in families, mothers who experience depression, anxiety, or other distress while pregnant tend to have smaller babies and higher rates of complications than those who proceed through pregnancy without these conditions. Most studies that have... Read More

At 43, I Feel Like I’m Running Out of Time to Have a Child

April 19th, 2013 . 7 Comments

You are not alone in your dilemma, and it is a tough one. You’ve prepared yourself and created the kind of life you want for your future family. Unfortunately, “if you build it, they will come” doesn’t really work when it comes to finding a partner and having children. In my work with couples, particularly couples who have recently become parents, I see how difficult it is for many of them to maintain a solid partner relationship while attending to their new parenting duties. This is exponentially more difficult for couples who do not have... Read More

Identifying Mothers Who Are at Risk for PTSD after Childbirth

March 20th, 2013 . 4 Comments

Trauma from childbirth can have long-term effects on a mother, especially when the childbirth experience was complicated, lengthy, painful, or life threatening. For women who have emergency cesarean section births, rates of posttraumatic stress (PTSD) are very high in the immediate weeks after birth. However, there are a number of other factors that could influence the development of PTSD. In a recent study, Maryam Modarres of the Department of Midwifery and the Faculty... Read More

Marriage Offers Psychological Benefits to Pregnant Mothers

March 13th, 2013 . 2 Comments

There is an abundance of evidence demonstrating the numerous benefits of marriage for both spouses and children of married couples. These benefits include improved physical health, mental health, positive well-being, and longer life span, just to name a few. However, the number of unwed, cohabitating couples has increased dramatically in recent decades. Many of these couples are having children out of wedlock. Additionally, the number of ... Read More

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Risk Factors for Postpartum Depression

February 28th, 2013 . 7 Comments

Postpartum depression is a serious and potentially life-threatening issue that may occur up to a year after a woman gives birth. It can interfere with a woman’s ability to bond with or care for her baby and, like other forms of depression, may lead to feelings of hopelessness and despair. Some women with postpartum depression think about or ... Read More

Safe Sex, Health, Respect, and Talking to Your Child

January 28th, 2013 . 11 Comments

I watch Lifetime movies. Yes, I help people get their lives back on the “straight and narrow” and be healthier with themselves, their emotions, and their relationships, but I still like to indulge Lifetime movies. That feels good to write! The Pregnancy Pact is about girls who become pregnant. The issue makes the news, and a reporter tries to not just get the... Read More

New Study Underscores Importance of Family Alliance for Child Development

January 10th, 2013 . 3 Comments

Children are shaped by their environments. The family into which a child is born has a significant impact on the child’s emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioral development. Numerous studies have shown the effect of maternal mental health on children, and many have focused on the relationship of the parents as a contributing factor to child developmental outcomes. In a recent study, Nicolas Favez of the University of Geneva in Switzerland took it one step... Read More

Body Image and Pregnancy: One Woman’s Story

December 12th, 2012 . 3 Comments

When I first became pregnant, I knew it right away, before a test could have told me so. I had a feeling inside my body; I called it a “light I could feel.” I suddenly knew that my body was a vehicle for something bigger than I had tried to use it for in the past, bigger than my mind, my will, my intention, or my image of aesthetically appealing. As immediately as I realized the power of my body to engage in creation, and the intense feeling of meaningfulness,... Read More

The Things They Say: Friends, Family, and Fertility

November 16th, 2012 . 5 Comments

Sometimes, in the lighter side of dark moments, I have a fantasy of creating a sort of Bingo game just for people going through infertility. Instead of numbers, the boxes under B, I, N, G, and O would contain snippets of the not-very-helpful things people say when they hear you’re trying, and maybe failing, to have a baby: “Just relax.” That’s a perennial favorite, followed closely by its cousin, “Go on a romantic vacation,” and, “I always got pregnant ... Read More

Married Fathers More Involved with Their Kids Than Cohabiting Dads

November 9th, 2012 . 8 Comments

According to a recent study conducted by Genevieve Bouchard of the School of Psychology at the University of Moncton in Canada, fathers who are married are more involved with their newborns than those who cohabitate with the mothers. Paternal involvement has become an increasingly interesting area of research in recent years because of how much it affects a child’s development. Factors that have been examined with respect to paternal involvement include being married to versus... Read More

What Causes ‘Baby Fever’ in Adults?

November 2nd, 2012 . 6 Comments

Some people become emotionally overwhelmed when they see or hold a small baby. They develop a longing to have a baby, even when they may already have children. In popular culture, this phenomenon is known as “baby fever.” This type of event can happen to virtually anyone. However, it seems to affect only certain people, while others appear to be immune. The curious nature of “baby fever” was of interest to Gary L. Brase at the Department of Psychology at Kansas... Read More