Category: Pregnancy & Birthing
The Good Therapy Blog
October 26th, 2011 |
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Month. Therefore, it seems a pertinent time to discuss the difficult topic of perinatal loss.
Just what is perinatal loss? Perinatal loss is the death of an infant during pregnancy or soon after. It includes miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death.
Miscarriage is the most common of this form of loss, which is defined as “the spontaneous loss of a fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy.” A few statistics which may be illuminating:
10-20% of all known pregnancies result in miscarriage.
More than 80% of miscarriages happen before... Read More
August 3rd, 2011 |
Expectant women experience a shift in self-perception from being not a mother, to becoming a mother. Alytia A. Levondosky, Ph.D., and G. Anne Bogat, Ph.D., both of the Department of Psychology at Michigan State University, together with Alissa C. Huth-Bocks, Ph.D., Department of Psychology at Eastern Michigan State University, conducted a study to determine what effect domestic violence... Read More
© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Long Beach Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
August 1st, 2011 |
Many women experience post-traumatic stress during and after pregnancy. But a new study discovered that in low-income Latina women, the presence of psychological problems can increase the risk for PTSD during pregnancy and postpartum. “PTSD symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum periods are associated with adverse perinatal risk behaviors, psychiatric comorbidity, and other adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes,” said the researchers from the University... Read More
© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Los Angeles Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
July 19th, 2011 |
The words postpartum depression and sex could basically be juxtaposted in a Sesame Street song: “Which of these things is not like the other? Which of these things is kinda the same? Can you guess which thing is not like the other?” In other words, if you are recovering from postpartum depression, more than likely sex is not even remotely on the brain.
If, however, you are not in the category of postpartum depression, but like some 80% of all childbearing... Read More
June 29th, 2011 |
A new study suggests premature babies are at a higher risk for mood issues and other psychological challenges than full-term babies. The researchers, led by Professor Stephen Wood of the University of Melbourne in Australia, examined the results of ten separate studies evaluating the later mental health of premature babies. The findings revealed that those who were underweight or pre-term were more likely to develop mental health issues, such as depression... Read More
© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Fort Lauderdale Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
June 20th, 2011 |
Nearly one out of every ten pregnant women will experience postpartum depression, or have depressive symptoms during their pregnancy. But there is very little research to explain why. However, a new study hopes to identify some of the causes of postpartum depression and isolate warning signs in order to help these women receive earlier treatment and interventions. Samantha Meltzer-Brody,... Read More
© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Bethesda Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
May 23rd, 2011 |
Yes, May is Perinatal Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S.! That sure sounds like a mouthful, doesn't it? And what is “perinatal” anyhow? Well, I will happily explain...
“Perinatal” pertains to the period of time from conception, through pregnancy and up to a year postpartum (after having a baby) and it is a very important time in a woman's life where she is very vulnerable to the number one complication of having a baby: perinatal depression.
That's why so many important non-profits and task forces are working hard to get the word out about perinatal mental health awareness.... Read More
April 21st, 2011 |
One of the most striking aspects I've seen in working with lesbian and gay prospective parents is the amount of thoughtfulness, creativity and deliberateness that goes into the decision to bring children in their lives. Pregnancy is planned, not accidental, and there is usually not as much social or family expectation or pressure to parent.
On the other hand, without the reminders and expectations of parenthood, it can be easier to postpone pregnancy or adoption until later in life or to not even consider this life-altering choice. I often ask a gay or lesbian couple to think of it like this:... Read More
April 19th, 2011 |
The debate over how to treat depression during pregnancy has raged on for years. Taking any medications can pose a risk to an unborn child. However, leaving depression untreated can cause pre-term birth and low birth weights. In addition, women suffering from depression may be at a greater risk for post-partum depression and may need to continue treatment throughout pregnancy to ensure that they are healthy after delivery. However, a recent Read More
© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Lafayette Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
March 31st, 2011 |
When he was three months old, my firstborn child was diagnosed with a choroid plexus carcinoma, a rare, aggressive brain tumor that grows on the structure inside the brain that makes cerebral spinal fluid. Two weeks after the initial resection of the tumor, and two more subsequent surgeries to drain fluid from his brain, he endured his first chemotherapy treatment. Three days following the administration of the chemo, a CT scan revealed that his brain was completely destroyed. The scan showed no healthy tissue. Doctors called it “total neurological devastation.”
If somehow, after 70 weeks... Read More
March 30th, 2011 |
Spring has arrived. The landscape is greening up, buds are shooting through the grass, birds chirping. Longer daylight hours. Rabbits bring baskets with chocolate. All can be honky-dory at this time of nature's bounty with wildlife awakening from hibernation and bringing young into the world...
...yes, all CAN be honky-dory during springtime for many. However, for fifteen percent of the population, springtime is a trigger of sadness, a reminder that springtime's symbolic fertility does not apply for this subset of folks. One out of six or seven couples have the label “infertile.”
Although... Read More
March 28th, 2011 |
For many couples, the decision to have a child is a no-brainer. After a year or two of married life, they decide they’re ready to transition from newlyweds to parents. If they’re fortunate enough to conceive easily, a bouncing baby girl or boy usually arrives within the year. Sounds so simple doesn’t it? Well, not for those of us with chronic illness.
There are many factors that go into the decision to have children when you’re ill.
-What are your doctor’s thoughts on your illness and pregnancy?
-Will the pregnancy make your condition worse?
-Will the treatments you receive for... Read More
February 2nd, 2011 |
A woman who has an abortion is no more likely to need therapy or counseling for mental health concerns afterward than she was beforehand. This is the conclusion of new research published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study involved over 365,000 women who had either an abortion or a first-time delivery. While the decision of whether to have an abortion is laden with difficult emotions, this study does away with the ideas of “post-abortion trauma [or] post-abortion syndrome,” which have become political buzzwords,... Read More
© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Staten Island Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
January 31st, 2011 |
The Bring Your Marriage Back into Balance series is designed to inspire and equip you with the very best tools, techniques, and tips for communicating your way back into balance. Here are Part One and Part Two in the series.
Today I bring you the third and last article in the series: Where Do We Go from Here?
Last month, I wrote about the need to be honest and vulnerable with your feelings. Hopefully... Read More
